A group calling itself the Patriotic Agenda Pushers (PAP) affiliated to the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to demonstrate that he is not in support of the circulation of materials advertising him as the next leader of the NPP.

Posters promoting Dr Bawumia as the NPP’s 2024 flagbearer have gone viral on social media raising concerns among some party supporters who believe the vice president is flouting the party’s rules and regulations since the party has not opened nominations for the 2024 flagbearer race.

Another group identifying itself as the NPP Grassroots have said Dr. Bawumia’s premature flagbearer campaign could send the party into opposition.

Dr. Bawumia has, however, remained silent and not publicly endorsed or denied being behind the posters projecting him as the party’s next leader.

Contributing to this, PAP in a statement wants Dr. Bawumia to distance himself from those posters since it is against the party’s rules and regulations.

“We urge the office of the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to demonstrate that it is not in support of these divisive tendencies and to immediately issue a warning to rank and file of the party to desist from circulating communication suggestive of touting him as the next leader of the NPP,” PAP said in a statement.

The group also demanded that the National Executive Committee of the NPP distances itself from the emerging pro-Bawumia and other pro-candidate groups and instigate possible punitive measures to serve as deterrent to others.

Read PAP’s full statement below:

PATRIOTIC AGENDA PUSHERS (PAP)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The New Patriotic Party's candidate President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was declared winner of presidential election with a confirmation by the supreme court some few weeks ago.

This victory reminds us that we are presented with yet another opportunity to solidify our gains that ours is a party which represents the interest of our people. Of course we have no excuse to fail the Ghanaian people particularly when it is evident that the toil and hard work of our forebears including the likes of the venerable President John Agyekum Kufour through a limited term of 8 years between 2000-2008 significantly transformed the socioeconomic status of Ghanaians.

As history will bare us out, the Sterling leadership of the 'wisdom pot' was not only marked by national cohesion but only a sense of unity devoid of biases and factionalism was the state of the elephant family in spite of glaring desires by some government who were jostling to take over the mantle of leadership after the gentle JAK retires.

As a firm and unifying leader, president Kufour was focused on exhausting his mandate with distinction knowing very well that those gearing up to lead the party would only be successful if the Kufour Administration united the NPP to deliver on its promises to the people. Perhaps it comes as no surprise and explains why after eight years of a failed NDC administration Ghanaians were reminded of the Good works of president Kufour and endorsed the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia ticket by close to one million votes.

Now ladies and gentlemen after the dedicated service of President Nana Addo supported by the likes his Vice and other members of his government including the illustrious Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Ghanaians have placed a renewed hope in us to once more rise to the occasion and deliver on good governance.

To our surprise ladies and gentlemen, a rather troubling development has greeted the early days of the second term of President Akufo-Addo. We are puzzled and dumfounded at the plethora of devices and not a subtle political campaigns rather an open campaign at vigorous play, seeking to project the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the next flagbearer of the NPP even before the constitution of our great party sets in motion the process of internal primaries for the election of leadership which spur on our party into the future.

In as much as we concur with the ideals, freedom of association should thrive within a party that prides itself as one which believes in development in freedom, we find it distractive and disheartening that some unscrupulous individuals within our party are beginning to shift focus from supporting His Excellency the president who needs us now more than ever in a post COVID era to once more demonstrate that we have the men to take our nation out of Crisis and instead pursue parochial political interest.

To add insult to injury, we are alarmed by the deafening silence of the Vice President His Excellency Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in whose name this blatant impunity is taking place for failing to call these party faithful to order. Here we are reminded to point out that many other leading figures of the party have shown concern by calling on these crusaders to halt this unnecessary factionalism including Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong who has warned that these activities If not checked could lead us into opposition.

Although we are highly pleased by these cautions, we believe that immediate actions must be taken by leadership of the New Patriotic Party to call persons projecting Presidential ambitions tone down on the rhetoric and to allow all internal energies to be channeled to delivering on promise to the Ghanaian people which is a prerequisite for winning any further election. We are by this statement demanding the following:

1. We urge the office of the Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to demonstrate that it is not in support of these divisive tendencies and to immediately issue a warning to rank and file of the party to desist from circulating communication suggestive of touting him as the next leader of the NPP

2. We demand that the National Executive Committee of the NPP distances itself from emerging pro-Bawumia and other pro-candidate groups and instigate possible punitive measures to serve as deterrent to others

3. Finally we urge for calm amongst rank and file of the great NPP and to call on members to support the President of the Republic President Nana Addo to deliver on his mandate to the people which is surest way of prolonging our party in power.

Long live the NPP, long live Ghana.

…SIGNED…

ANTHONY ARMOO

(COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR)

0244479537