The obvious victory of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in the flagbearer contest of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) shows how strong he is as a personality given that this is his first time contesting in such an election, former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has said.
Mr Agyepong, a one-time flagbearer hopeful of the NPP, indicated that the party would now have to work to regain the confidence and respect of Ghanaians to win the 2024 general elections.
Speaking in an interview with TV3’s Eric Mawuena Egbeta at the Accra Sports Stadium, the venue for the final declaration of the results of the NPP polls, on Saturday, November 4, he said “This is the first time Dr Bawumia is contesting, and over 60 percent votes shows how strong he is.”
He added “Let us get the narrative that will win the respect and confidence of Ghanaians.”
A professor at the University of Ghana, Ransford Gyampo also said that the Vice President has mastered the art of politicking.
Prof Gyampo indicated that Dr Bawumia was able to reach out to delegates who were difficult to access by other aspirants and also knew how to to talk to those who mattered in the electoral process.
He however said Dr Bawumia would have a huge task of defending the track record of the government as he tries to convince Ghanaians to vote for him in the 2024 general elections.
“How he is able to defend the track record and embarrassing situation of this government is an issue. Explaining that things are better today than when he became vice president is a huge task ahead of him. I congratulate him for winning. He has mastered the game of politicking, he knew how to talk to those who mattered, he knew how to reach out to those who others could not reach out to.”
Wild celebrations begin in @MBawumia‘s office after early results suggest a win for the Veep #ElectionCommandCentre #NPPDecides pic.twitter.com/bhmH2eRI1T
— #3FM927? (@3fm927) November 4, 2023
Also commenting on the NPP polls, a former Deputy Minister of Information Felix Kwakye Ofosu commended Mr Agyapong for his performance.
Kwakye Ofosu has said that whichever way the internal elections of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) end, it is a disaster for Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
Kwakye Ofosu said Dr Bawumia simply doesn’t command the overwhelming level of support required in his party to get the wind in his sails for the 2024 elections.
In a tweet, the former Deputy Minister of Information said “Two definite predictions: JM wins in 2024.Ken Agyapong will be NPP flagbearer in 2028,all things being equal.
“Pitiful attempt to put a brave face on a weak showing by Bawumia and his supporters.Massive internal revolt against the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia tag team. He goes into 2024,a very weak candidate devoid of a solid mandate from his party.”
Provisional results have been declared in the Assin Central Constituency in New Patriotic Party’s presidential primaries on Saturday, November 4.
Member of Parliament Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, who stood in Saturday’s elections, polled 491 out of the total valid votes cast. His closest contender Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia had 16 votes.
The other two aspirants – Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Francis Addai-Nimoh – had no votes. In Assin South Constituency, Mr Agyapong polled 478 votes while Dr Bawumia polled 158 votes. Dr Afriyie Akoto and Mr Addai-Nimoh had 1 and 0 respectively.
From the Bolgatanga East Constituency in the Upper East Region, out of a total of 251 votes cast, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia polled 242 votes.
Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP) Kennedy Ohene Agyapong polled 8 votes while Francis Addai-Nimoh, a former MP for Asante Mampong Constituency, had a single vote.
Former Food and Agriculture Minister Dr Owusus Afriyie Akoto had no votes.
In Bunkpurugu in the North East Region, it is a clean sweep of votes for the Vice President as he polled 522 out of 522.
The rest had no votes and there were no rejected nor spoilt ballots.
At Yagaba Kubori in the same region, the Vice President polled 366 votes with three (3) spoilt ballots.
The other three aspirants had no votes.
At the Party’s headquarters in Accra, where government officials voted, Dr Bawumia polled 254 votes out of a total 393 valid votes while Mr Ohene Agyapong had 133 votes.
Mr Addai-Nimoh had 4 votes while Dr Afriyie Akoto had 4 votes.