Vice President and flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Mahamudu Bawumia has settled on a running mate for the 2024 general election.

The name of the candidate will now be submitted to the NPP National Council for clearance before Bawumia formally makes the announcement.

MyNewsGh.com citing deep-throat sources said in the next few days, "the NPP flagbearer will be submitting the name of the lucky nominee to the National Council of the party for deliberation."

The report added: "While the name of the nominee is kept top-secret, the names of those not on the list are known.

"Contrary to earlier reports of the shortlist including influential church leader Apostle Opoku Onyinah, checks show he was not under consideration."

MyNewsgh.com also stated that big names rumoured over the last six months to be frontrunners who have also missed out on the nomination include Chief of Staff Frema Opare and Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum.

Bawumia, after winning the NPP flagbearership race asked the National Council for more time to announce his running mate for the crucial election citing the need for broad-based consultation with major stakeholders.

With the axing of three major candidates above - Onyinah, Frema and Adutwum - analysts believe that the way has been paved for Manhyia South Member of Parliament, Matthew Opoku Prempeh to be named running mate.

The Ashanti Region, a vote bank for the NPP has been identified as a major factor if the NPP can win the 2024 polls. The need to pick an Ashanti as a running mate has thus gained a lot of currency since Bawumia was elected flagbearer.

SARA