The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has emphasized that selecting a running mate for the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) flagbearer, Mahamudu Bawumia, from the Ashanti Region is not a mandatory criterion.

According to him, there are other Akan-speaking regions in the country that can be considered for the position.

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who hails from the Ashanti Region, expressed the opinion that the party would not suffer any adverse consequences if the running mate were chosen from an Akan area outside the Ashanti Region.

In an interview on the Hot Issues programme on TV3 with Kemmini Amanor, he stated, "I am not too sure the world will come to an end."

Addressing the potential implications of selecting a running mate from regions other than Ashanti, the Suame Member of Parliament, however, acknowledged the importance of strategic considerations.

He suggested that the choice should complement Dr. Bawumia's background, even if it is not necessarily from the Ashanti Region.

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu highlighted that there are various Akan areas that could be explored for the selection.

“…We know the dynamics so let the people decide. I am from the Ashanti Region, it is the case that Dr Bawumia is from the North, and maybe his own ethnic background is not one place that we have major votes from or huge numbers from, we will need, maybe, a region that will support or complement him well, that is why people are coming up with that suggestions to select an Akan.

“I am saying that it is justifiable but there are other Akan areas that we could also looked at,” he stated.

With Dr Bawumia's background from the northern part of the country, there has been strong advocacy for the ruling party to select his running mate from the NPP's Ashanti Region stronghold.



GA/SARA




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