Former President John Mahama has cautioned delegates of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to desist from electing leaders whose leadership skills have not been tried and tested.

Citing an example with Ghana's current president, Nana Akufo-Addo, Mr Mahama indicated that it will be suicidal for the NDC and Ghanaians to experiment with a political leader who lacks the needed leadership skills and exposure to put the country on the right track.

Addressing delegates in the Nadowli Kaleo Constituency of the Upper West Region, Mr Mahama said it is important for the party and Ghanaians to elect an experienced leader rather than going for people without the necessary experience.

“Anytime we are in opposition, we must fight to come back into power so that we can do for Ghanaians what we believe is best to develop this country, and I keep telling people that now is the time for tried and tested leadership, now is the time for solutions to the transformation of this country.

“Somebody came and said: ‘Try me’, and look at the results. It is easy to criticise, it’s easy to be a political leader and criticise everything, but if you don’t have that political apprenticeship to understand what government is about, it is dangerous to experiment with you.

“’Try me’, you’ve never held a position or done the apprenticeship preparing yourself toward that position and you just say ‘try me’ and Ghanaians tried you, now look at us, so, I believe that we need the time for tried tested leadership and NDC has proven time and again that we have the men who are tried and tested,” Mr Mahama said.