The New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer aspirant and Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has described the governing party’s presidential primary as free and fair.
“I believe the party has been fair and transparent, and the only thing I have always been preaching is that this election is fair and my grassroots people have spoken. I pledge my support that we are going to work tirelessly to break the eight.
“So, party members that we are here, we should put everything behind us and let us move this party forward. With unity, I believe we can break the eight,” Mr Agyapong told NPP supporters who received the soothing message with thunderous cheers.
In a concession speech, the Assin Central MP who performed beyond pre-election projections, graciously accepted his defeat to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia at the Accra Sports Stadium Saturday night.
This was after Dr Bawumia was officially declared the winner and declared as the party’s new leader and flagbearer for 2024 general election.
Mr. Kennedy Agyapong pledged his full support to the Vice President and the entire NPP to break the eight-year cycle.
The certified results, announced by the Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, showed that Dr Bawumia garnered 118,210 votes, representing 61.47%, while his closest contender, Mr Agyapong secured 71,996 votes, representing 37.41%.
Former Minister for Food and Agriculture Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto, who placed a distant third, polled 1,459 votes, representing 0.76%, while former MP for Mampong in the Ashanti region Addai-Nimoh got a paltry 731 votes, representing 0.41%.
A total of 192,446 delegates participated in Saturday’s presidential primary.
The total valid votes were 193,346, with 900 votes rejected, resulting in a turnout of 94.63%.
Dr. Bawumia’s victory was anticipated from the outset, although he fell short of between 70% and 80% target set by members of his campaign team.
Numerous MPs and NPP stalwarts including ministers of state threw their weight behind Dr Bawumia, who has earned immeasurable respect through hardwork, unflinching loyalty and has become a prominent figure within the governing party over the years.
Vice President has made history by becoming the first non-Akan to lead the NPP into a general election after serving as the running mate to President Akufo-Addo since 2008.
The 2024 election, according to political pundits, will be a closely contested one.
Both Dr. Bawumia and National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer John Dramani Mahama are formidable candidates from the North with each having their strengths and weaknesses.
The election’s outcome will likely hinge on various factors, including the state of the economy, the candidates’ campaign messages, and voter turnout.
Bawumia Will Unite NPP For Victory-Akufo-Addo
Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed confidence in Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to victory in the 2024 general election.
He praised Dr Bawumia’s dedication to the party over the years, emphasising that his victory is a well-deserved recognition of his hard work.
In a congratulatory message at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in Accra, President Akufo-Addo urged all NPP supporters work together to ensure that former President John Mahama does not win the 2024 elections.
“I am passing on the flagbearer role of our party after you have honoured me to lead this party, and you have allowed me to serve this great party. I cannot forget. I have done my best, but I am still left with one thing to do, and that is to help elect Bawumia as president. So let us pull together to ensure NDC, especially their candidate Mahama does not return to power.
“I am confident Bawumia will be able to unite this party, with the help of the other three contestants, to inflict a successful defeat on Mahama,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo also thanked the leadership of the party, from the constituencies to the national levels, for a good fight fought.
“My message is simple and it is one of gratitude to the regional executives, national executives, local executives, and all the people that contributed to this. And I want to thank you.”
