A government spokesperson and staunch member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kofi Tonto has chided the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for presenting former president John Dramani Mahama as flagbearer considering his failure in elections.

According to him, the NDC has no integrity to chastise the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for voting overwhelmingly for Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who won with 626 votes in the party’s super delegates conference.

He bemoaned why the NDC is presenting John Dramani Mahama, who has been denied by Ghanaians twice as flagbearer for the 2024 general elections.

Speaking on a panel discussion on TV3’s new day on August 28, 2023, the government spokesperson reiterated that Dr. Bawumia cannot be compared with John Mahama because he has not lost any major election yet, while the former president has lost twice.

He said this when NDC’s Edudzi Tamakloe asserted that if the NPP elects Dr. Bawumia as its flagbearer, it would be an insult to the intelligence of Ghanaians.

“You [Edudzi Tamakloe] sit here and talk about insulting the intelligence of Ghanaians. You elected a candidate who has been voted out twice by Ghanaians, John Dramani Mahama. What more is insulting than that? Dr. Bawumia has not contested for Ghanaians to pass judgment on him, but John Mahama has, twice. Ghanaians have said, we don't want him, but yet you have elected him.

“ I'm telling you that if that [NPP electing Dr. Bawumia is an insult to the intelligence of state] is the case, then they [NDC] did it first. Because in Mahama's case, he has been denied twice by Ghanaians. How do you present a man who has been denied twice that is more of an insult to Ghanaians? If you don't care to know, you [Edudzi Tamakloe] sit here and talk about it,” he said.

Background


Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has emerged as the leading contender of the New Patriotic Party Super Delegates Conference.

Per the results, Dr Bawumia garnered 629 votes representing 68.15 percent of the total votes cast. The results are based on figures collated by 17 out 17 voting centres across the country.

Behind him is Assin Central lawmaker, Kennedy Agyapong who polled 132 votes representing 14.30 percent while Alan Kyerematen polled 95 votes representing 10.29 percent in the elections which took place on Saturday August 26, 2023.

Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto secured the fourth spot for the party’s presidential primaries with 36 votes representing 3.90%.

Boakye Agyarko and Francis Addai-Nimoh tied in 5th position with 9 votes each representing 0.98%.

Other candidates who contested in the elections were Joe Ghartey with 4 votes, Kwadwo Poku with 3 votes, Kwabena Agyepong with 5 votes while Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku failed to secure a single vote.

The Super Delegates Conference is aimed at reducing the pool of contenders vying for the party's presidential candidacy in the upcoming 2024 general election.

Ten candidates from the NPP participated in the race, with the objective of selecting five candidates who will proceed to another round of voting in November this year

The final round will determine the substantive candidate of the NPP for the presidential election ahead of the 2024 general elections.


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Watch the interview below

John Mahama has been denied by Ghanaians twice, yet the NDC has gone ahead to elect him as their flagbearer. How do you present someone who has been denied twice? - Kofi Tonto#TV3NewDay pic.twitter.com/57n191iOme

— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) August 28, 2023