A University of Ghana Professor, Michael Kpessa-Whyte, has advised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to cease comparing its flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, with the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

In his opinion, it is an ill-advised strategy to juxtapose these two figures in the lead-up to the 2024 general elections.

Professor Kpessa-Whyte, who is also an NDC member, sent the caution via a tweet.

“My dear NDC colleagues, stop the comparison between John Mahama and Bawumia. Let’s focus on what John Mahama will do to revive the economy. Comparing a ‘problem’ and a ‘solution’ is a bad strategy. Instead, use the solution to solve the problem. Elections are about the future.”
Michael Kpessa-Whyte

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, congratulated Dr. Bawumia on his victory in the NPP’s internal elections, while also cautioning that the road ahead for the 2024 general elections is a challenging one.

In his tweet, he mentioned that for Dr. Bawumia to maintain credibility, he would need to recant and disavow many of his past statements.

“Though your victory has been utterly underwhelming, you’ve still made history as the 1st northerner to lead NPP. The task ahead of you is a tough one. To be credible, you will have to denounce and recant a lot of your past statements.”
Sulemana Braimah

He however wished the Vice President well on his journey.

Bawumia Is Not Fit For Purpose

Also, Former Deputy Minister of Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, critiqued Dr. Bawumia’s percentage of votes in the presidential primaries. He argued that failing to secure over 90% of the votes indicates a lack of confidence from the electorate for the 2024 elections.

In his view, NPP presidential candidates typically receive over 90% support in the party’s primaries to win a general election in Ghana, citing Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s over 90% victory in the 2014 primaries before the 2016 elections.

Felix Kwakye Ofosu also emphasized that Dr. Bawumia’s lackluster victory in the internal elections may reflect a loss of energy and confidence within the NPP due to their disappointing performance. Despite his victory in the primaries, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu believes that Dr. Bawumia does not possess the qualities required to govern Ghana, asserting that former President Mahama has a superior record during his tenure as Vice President and President.

“Really, with us in the NDC and the rest of the Ghanaian people, Bawumia is not fit for purpose and does not have what it takes to govern this country. There is nobody in the NPP’s history who has won elections at least since the NPP voter base was expanded who has had less than 90 percent and won the general elections.
“But it is not surprising that he failed to achieve that because if you look at the NPP, for all their loudness, you see a much-muted response to this delegate’s conference and it is because they know that the energy and confidence have been sapped away from them because of their appallingly abysmal performance.”
Felix Ofosu Kwakye

Notwithstanding, the MP for Sekondi, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, lauded the outcome of the exercise, particularly the peaceful nature of the exercise.

He expressed confidence that Dr Bawumia will win the 2024 General Elections.

Dr. Bawumia secured the NPP’s presidential nomination by winning the party’s primaries, as officially declared by the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC). He received 118,210 votes out of a total of 193,346, representing 61.47% of the valid votes. His closest rival, Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP) Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, came in second with 71,996 votes, equivalent to 37.41%. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, a former Minister of Food and Agriculture, secured third place with 1,459 votes, constituting 0.76%. In fourth place was former Mampong MP Francis Addai-Nimoh, who garnered only 731 votes, accounting for 0.41% of the total votes.