Henry Kwabena Kokofu, the Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has shot back a reply to the opposition National Democratic Congress for criticizing the number of votes Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia got in the New Patriotic Party's presidential election on Saturday, November 4.

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, winner of the election, secured 118,210 representing an 61.47% and his close rival, Ken Ohene Agyapong got 71,996 votes representing 37.41%.

Other contestants, Dr. Afriyie Akoto and Francis Addai-Nimoh also garnered 1459 and 781 votes respectively.

NDC 'shoots' NPP

But to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Bawumia's figures are embarrassing.

"It is a big shame that, despite the unprecedented vote-buying and personal phone calls to delegates, a significant number of the NPP delegates totaling 74,236 and constituting a whopping 39% voted against his candidature in the just-ended NPP primary. He was totally rejected in two regions (Central and Volta regions) and over 50 Constituencies of his own party.

"This makes him the first NPP flag-bearer to be elected by less than 62% of valid votes cast since the NPP expanded their electoral college in 2010. This is an embarrassing vote of no confidence in his leadership by almost 40% of delegates in his own party", the NDC Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi wrote in an article.

Bawumia vs Mahama

Sammy Gyamfi contrasted Dr. Bawumia's performance with that of the NDC flagbearer, former President John Dramani Mahama, saying "this fact becomes apparent when contrasted with the 98.9% of valid votes obtained by H. E John Mahama in the 2023 NDC’s primary and the 78.89% and 94.4% obtained by Candidate Akufo-Addo in the 2010 and 2014 NPP primaries, respectively".

"This is the man a paltry 61% of NPP delegates have elected as their flag-bearer for the 2024 election; a man bereft of credibility and vision; a man who has proven time and again to be a pathological liar; a comical character whose campaign to be president is based on his ethnicity and religion and not his competence.

"Ghanaians currently find themselves in a total mess. Hopelessness, recklessness, bankruptcy, hardships, corruption and nepotism define the current state of our nation today. This mess is a product of bad leadership and nothing more. What Ghana needs is CHANGE...A leader who can and will ensure accountability on the part of duty-bearers both past and present. That leader is none-other than the Nation Builder, H.E John Dramani Mahama", he added.

NDC has nothing to offer

Kokofu, in response to Sammy Gyamfi and the NDC, ridiculed their position on Bawumia's performance stating the NDC's 2023 presidential election was a one-man race with John Mahama being the only candidate but still couldn't get a 100 percent pass by his own people, hence seeking to know what becomes of him if Bawumia's performance is abysmal as the NDC claims.

He stressed the opposition has nothing good to offer Ghanaians.

"Even in a one-man race, he didn't get 100 percent...You have presented a Vice presidential candidate before which was a 100% acclamation, he lost the elections [sic]. What shows that if you do another acclamation today which is 98%, you have a basis? You have nothing, nothing to show!", he replied on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show Monday morning.