A Presidential Staffer, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has said that at the right time, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will select the running mate who will serve the interest of the party and the country at large.
Although he gave room for the lobbying by some interest groups, he said, recent history in the NPP has shown that lobbying doesn’t count in the selection of a running mate.
Speaking to journalists in Accra on Tuesday, November 7, he said “The campaign is over, and now we have a flagbearer whose mandate is now to look around and select a running mate he can comfortably work with in the interest of the party and country. The decision is entirely his, you can’t also take the lobbying away from the other people, it is normal.
“In the same way, the candidate also moved around to go and campaign, in this case, he is a delegate so others will also come to him and campaign for him and make a case. But for the NPP, at least in recent times, the last two vice presidents, if you followed it closely you will realize that lobbying doesn’t count.
“If you listened to President Kufuor on how he selected Aliu Mahama, all the people whose names were flying around did not come close. Dr Bawumia himself, during the campaign, he was always recounting the story as to how he became the running mate to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
“So I think we should leave it to the flagbearer, it is too early, we shouldn’t try to ambush him in doing things at this time. When he is ready I am very sure he is going to select a running mate that will be in the interest of the party and the country. But we should allow people to aspire and dream and lobby and campaign.”
Dr Bawumia in his address after winning the Saturday, November 4 presidential primaries of the NPP, promised to implement his vision for Ghana.
“I have my own vision and priority,” he said, adding that ” I will listen to your concerns because we are partners in its process.”
Regarding the sufferings of Ghanaians, he said “I am as concerned as my fellow countrymen and women…the work of economic recovery is underway, GDP growth has picked up.”
Dr Bawumia further thanked the NPP for the support he has enjoyed over the years leading to his victory as flagbearer of the party for the 2024 general elections.
He recounted the support that he has enjoyed since he was first picked as running mate in for the 2008 elections.
“I do not take this support for granted,” he said in his acceptance speech after the NPP internal polls on Saturday, November 4.
He further said he is prepared to work with all the aspirants in the just-ended presidential primaries of the NPP for victory in the 2024 general elections.
In his victory speech on Saturday, November 4, he said “I am determined to work with all of them and all our supports to break the 8.”
To his main contender Kennedy Agyapong, he said “Well done, you really wanted to give me a down today.”
Kennedy Agyapong also called for unity among the members of the NPP to defeat the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 general elections.
Mr Agyapong who contested in the NPP presidential primaries said he accepts defeats in the just-ended presidential primaries of the NPP.
He asked the rank and file of the party to put whatever happened in the elections and come together to win the 2024 general elections.
“I believe the party has been fair and transparent. That is the only thing I have always been preaching, this election is fair, my grassroots have spoken, I accept the results in good faith,” he said.
He added “We are going to work tirelessly to break the 8. We should put everything behind us and let us unite this party, with unity I believe we can break the 8, that is all I have been preaching for, I congratulate the Election Committee, Police, EC, and the party members for the commitment you have shown for peace. We have to come together and give the NDC a showdown.”
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has won the presidential primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after being officially declared winner by the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC).
He polled a total of 118,210 votes out of 193,346 to become the winner.
His votes represent 61.47 percent of the total valid votes cast.
His closest contender was Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP) Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, who polled a total of 71,996 votes, representing 37.41 percent to come second.
Former Minister of Food and Agriculture Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto polled 1,459, representing 0.76 percent to come third.
He was followed by former Mampong MP Francis Addai-Nimoh, who polled a total of 781, representing 0.41 percent.
Per the results of the primaries, the Vice President will lead the ruling party into next year’s elections.
His major hurdle will be facing a former president, John Dramani Mahama, who was elected last December as the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The two have faced off on several political campaign platforms but in different capacities.
In the run-up to the 2008 elections, they were both running mates. Dr Bawumia was assisting Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo while Mr Mahama was assisting the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills, who won a third vote in the Tain Constituency to win the elections.
In the 2012, 2016 and 2020 elections, Mr Mahama led the NDC while Dr Bawumia remained running mate to Mr Akufo-Addo.
Come 2024, the two will face off as the Presidential Candidates of the two major political parties in Ghana in what many have described as critical in the history of Ghana – a candidate seeking a return and one seeking to go a notch higher on the political ladder.