Opinions of Saturday, 23 March 2024

Columnist: Chairman Odeneho Kwaku Appiah

The choice of a running mate: NPP at a crossroad?

Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia

The NPP seems to be at a crossroad…

NPP has selected Dr. Mahammudu Bawumia (DMB) as our party flagbearer for the 2024 elections. We have selected our Parliamentary candidates and constituted our campaign team and manifesto committees. The only Puzzle left is the selection of the running mate to partner our candidate and the party will be all ready for the 2024 elections.

It is a known fact that various interest groups within the party have started lobbying for their preferred candidate to be chosen as vice presidential candidate. To make the ticket of the paring more stronger many have urged NPP to choose its running mate from the Ashanti region, the “World Bank” of the party.

So the lobbying is intense in the Ashanti region and therefore seems to have created “tension and deep division” in the Ashanti region.

NPP cannot afford to take the Ashanti region for granted that is the hard-core fact.

The NDC, our main opponent has made the Ashanti Region (NPP’s base) their target to get more votes going into the 2024 elections; not even their considered World Bank, Volta region. It is therefore important we (NPP) do not allow the selection of a running mate to divide Ashanti region the more.

If the Ashanti region fails the NPP, the NPP party will be in big trouble. The region needs everybody to help break the 8. Let us not pressurize DMB, let’s allow him to make his best choice.

Furthermore, l also want to appeal to Dr. Bawumia, our candidate for 2024 to save NPP from further division by naming his running mate sooner rather than later. This will further help the party especially the Ashanti region NPP from further deteriorating. By naming the running mate NOW, any fallouts could be managed and handled by the ongoing reconciliation team in the Ashanti region led by Mr. Edward Boateng.

Indeed, per our revised NPP constitution in Article 13 section 3 (1) and (2) our candidate ought to have selected our running mate by the close of December last year, 2023, however, per his request for extension it was granted by the National Council. Recent events especially in the Ashanti region are not encouraging.

As a concerned patriot, my concern and that of many is that when the process is delayed the cracks become dipper and more disturbing which wouldn’t help the party’s course for our quest to break the 8. Ghana and NPP need DMB to save the country from going back into development.

We need a running mate who will rejuvenate the base of our party in the region.

I contested for the regional chairmanship position. It was a fierce contest and unfortunately, l lost but I can’t turn my back to the party I love so much. I am fully on board the party’s campaign to help break the 8 and expect all others including parliamentary candidates who lost primaries to also join the campaign.
We have only one NPP. 2024 is the ultimate, let’s unite behind the big elephant.

We can do it. Kukrudu Kukrudu Kukrudu!!! Coka, l care.