Market women groups in the Ashanti and Ahafo regions are advocating for a female running mate for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming 2024 elections.

The women are requesting the party leadership to choose a female candidate from the Ashanti region, the electoral stronghold of the party, if it wants to maintain political power.

According to the groups, the female person should be well respected, passionate, dedicated, and have good track records in developments, to receive more votes during the elections.

At a press conference at the Kumasi Race Course Market on Thursday, April 11, 2024, they stated that it would be a disaster if the NPP failed to select a female running mate for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

They claimed that since the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) selected a female running mate, the NDC will have fewer women vote if the NPP selects a female running mate.

They have threatened to vote for a female candidate, regardless of the person’s political background.

"If the NPP leadership wishes to win the 2024 elections, we urge them to choose a female candidate from the Ashanti as a running mate to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. The individual ought to have helped women and brought development to the region,” Kaakyire Badu, a member of the group said.

Adasa Nkrumah, a member from Mim in the Ahafo region also said “We are willing to sacrifice for any female candidate from Ashanti to help her get more votes in the region their “world bank”, anything less than this will be a disaster for NPP.”

Asked if they have their preferred choice, they answered in the negative but were quick to mention that “We want a woman who has supported the market traders in times of hardship, brought smiles to children by helping them in school and professions.

"We want a gender balance in the ticket of NPP flagbearer and running mate in the 2024 elections as done by the opposition NDC, anything contrary to our request will result in voting for a political party with a female candidate, either as the flagbearer or a running mate,” they threatened.