Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has received massive endorsement from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates from all the 16 regions of Ghana, making him the toast of the people and the overwhelming favourite to lead the governing party into the 2024 general election.
He won the governing party’s Special Electoral College polls in all the regions and the voting centre at the party’s headquarters in Accra with a total of 629 votes out of 923 of the valid votes cast, representing 68.15%, leaving Kennedy Ohene Agyapong and four-time contender Alan Kyerematen at distant second and third positions respectively.
The results of Saturday’s polls clearly gave indication ahead of the November 4, 2023 delegates conference as to who the party intends to elect as a flagbearer for the 2024 presidential election.
NPP faithful have described Vice President Bawumia as a man with unwavering loyalty to the party, unblemished character, exceptional competence, high leadership qualities and a hardworking personality.
These qualities, according to them, Dr. Bawumia exhibited both in opposition and in government, make him the right person to lead the NPP to victory in next year’s presidential election for three consecutive four-term and break the 8-year winning cycle between NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) since 1992.
Saturday’s results
Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central Kennedy Agyapong placed second in the Saturday’s polls with 132 votes (14.30%) while former Minister for Trade and Industry Alan Kyerematen came third, obtaining only 95 votes, representing 10.29%.
Alan Kyerematen has been in the NPP presidential race since 2007 but has never been able to secure the party’s nomination and many politically pundits believe he will be disappointed for the fourth time.
Former Minister for Food and Agriculture Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto also obtained 36 votes representing 3.9 percent.
Accordingly, Dr. Bawumia, Kennedy Agyapong, Alan Kyerematen and Dr. Afriyie-Akoto have automatically qualified to contest in the November 4, 2023 presidential primaries.
The fifth person for the contest will be determined after a run-off on September 2, 2923 between former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko and former MP for Mampong Francis Addai-Nimoh who garnered a paltry nine votes each, representing approximately 0.01%.
However, there is still a possibility that both or one of them will voluntarily pull out to avoid the run-off.
Major test
Political watchers are already predicting that the November 4 primaries will be a major test for Dr. Bawumia and Kennedy Agyapong.
Each of them needs to win the majority of the over 200,000 delegates from in all the 275 constituencies in order to get the nod to lead the NPP for the next presidential and parliamentary elections.
The elected flagbearer will eventually face former President John Dramani Mahama of the opposition National Democratic Congress, who has already lost two consecutive presidential elections, in the December 7, 2024 polls.
Unity needed
Meanwhile, as part of measures to win the next general election, Vice President Bawumia has called on the party leadership to remain united ahead of the main presidential primaries scheduled for November 4.
According to him, the main battle for the NPP is winning the December 2024 elections, hence, the need for unity to defeat the main opposition NDC.
Speaking to journalists at his residence after Saturday’s polls, Dr Bawumia thanked the party for the confidence reposed in him.
He however reminded all party faithful that any disunity amongst the aspirants would scuttle the party’s chances of winning the 2024 elections.
“I am very humbled and very grateful for this election but this is only the first step of winning the flagbearership of the party, so I know that there is work ahead.
“The main event is December 2024, and as we all work together we have to keep in mind that what we are working towards is a win in December 2024,” Vice President Bawumia added.
He urged the party’s leadership to put aside their differences and focus on winning the elections.
“This will require a lot of unity amongst ourselves and amongst all the flagbearer hopefuls. It is very important that as we go on this journey towards December 2024, we don’t have cracks in our ranks. We have to all work together and not destroy this very important unity that we have,” Dr. Bawumia reiterated.
