The Governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP), United States (US) Chapter in Cincinnati Ohio have cautioned Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to stay behind and allow Mr Allan John Kwadwo Kyerematen to lead the party in 2024 general elections.
According to the US Chapter led by Mr Owusu Afriyie, the incumbent trade and industry minister has demonstrated his commitment to the party for far too long and has also being a qualified Presidential material of the party for more than two decades, therefore, he deserves to lead NPP after President Akufo-Addo’s exit.
Mr Allan John Kwadwo Kyerematen contested Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2007, capturing 32.3% of votes cast and became the first runner-up to the current president who gained 47.96% of votes cast. Allan made other attempts at the party’s leadership in 2010 and 2014 but placed second to Akufo-Addo, who won the primaries.
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, on the other hand, was a Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana until his nomination as the vice-presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2008, standing alongside presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo. He also ran as the NPP vice-presidential candidate in 2012, 2016 and 2020 general elections and was the lead witness for the petitioners in the 2012/2013 Presidential Election Petition which challenged the declaration of John Mahama as the winner of the election.
Mr Owusu Afriyie told Soiree News 24 (SN24) reporter Joseph Marfo in a phone interview that the NPP has its own method of selecting its flagbearer, that is the first-come-first-serve approach. For this reason, Dr Bawumia and his faction should soberly back off and allow Allan Kwadwo Kyerematen to lead the party in 2024 just as he Allan did to Nana Addo.
A lot of NPP supporters a few days after the 2020 victory have started calling out their favourite candidates to lead the party. A couple of days ago the Ashanti Regional Council of Zongo Chiefs and some other Concerned Members of NPP stated that Dr Bawumia must be given the mandate by Party executives to lead the party in 2024.
They argued that Dr Bawumia’s unflinching support for NPP aided the party to garner more votes in the five northern regions in the 2020 general election, making him the best presidential material for 2024 polls.
However, the Patron for NPP US Chapter believes that undoubtedly, it is Allan’s turn, “he (Allan) has no competitor because he has served the party more than Bawumia or any other supposed Presidential material”.
“It’s not your turn Mr Bawumia, exercise patience and throw your support to Allan to lead us in 2024, your turn will come but for now you and your supporters should allow Allan to go”, Mr Owusu Afriyie suggested.
He further stated that, even if Bawumia does not stepdown for Allan but decides to contest him in Primaries, Dr Bawumia will not even get one-third of NPP delegates votes.
“Bawumia doesn’t come close to Allan in terms of personality. Even if he (Bawumia) contest Allan, he will not even get one-third of NPP delegates votes”.
Mr Owusu Afriyie disclosed that there is allegedly an agreement between Nana Addo and Allan which suggest that he will take over the NPP’s flagbearership after Akufo-Addo’s exit, therefore, Dr Bawumia and his faction should not underestimate it since it could bring divisions within the party, “meanwhile those divisions will deeply hurt the party’s glory in 2024”.
Source: SoireeNews
