Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano North, Hon. Gideon Boako, has dismissed suggestions that former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia should be barred from leading the New Patriotic Party (NPP) again following his defeat in the 2024 presidential election.
Hon. Boako, who serves as Technical Advisor and Spokesperson to Dr. Bawumia, argued that losing one election should not define a politician’s future, stressing that persistence has been the hallmark of successful leaders in Ghana’s democratic journey.
Hon. Boako’s comments were in response to voices within the party, especially from camps of other flagbearer aspirants, who believe that the 2024 defeat disqualified Dr. Bawumia from future leadership consideration.
He rejected those claims and maintained that Ghana’s political history has repeatedly shown that resilience paves the way for leaders who are determined. He further cited examples of former leaders who overcame electoral setbacks before attaining the presidency.
“The downfall of a man is never the end of his life. He is not the first to attempt the presidential seat and lose it. Others tried, they lost, they persevered with tenacity, and they were able to make it.
“He equally believes that, if Kufuor tried once, twice and made it, Akufo-Addo tried multiple times and made it, Mills tried multiple times and made it, John Mahama also tried multiple times and made it, why should he sit back?”
Hon. Gideon Boako, MP for Tano North
The MP stressed that Dr. Bawumia remained determined to contest again with faith in his abilities and divine guidance. “He will try again, and he can make it such that he can deliver to Ghana what he thinks God has given him,” he said.
Hon. Boako’s call reflects an appeal for the party to focus on collective strength rather than sidelining leaders after electoral defeats.
Grassroots Confidence in Bawumia
Addressing claims that Dr. Bawumia’s influence within the NPP had waned, Hon. Boako insisted that the former Vice President still commands significant grassroots support across the party’s structures. He noted that this support was genuine and not driven by political coercion.
“He is loved. They think his character, his personality, and his conduct reflect the values and principles of the Danquah-Dombo-Busia tradition more than any of the other aspirants. That is natural. The people like him. They love him. There is no incumbency advantage, and there is no whittling down of his support base in the party”
Hon. Gideon Boako, MP for Tano North
Hon. Boako pointed to the recent open endorsements from a majority of NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) as evidence of this enduring support, emphasizing that such endorsements were voluntary. “No one has forced anybody. Nobody is being whipped,” he explained.
He concluded by asserting that the upcoming NPP flagbearer contest would ultimately mirror the will of the party faithful, adding that Dr. Bawumia’s strong ties with the grassroots positioned him as a leading contender.
He said the party must embrace its tradition of resilience, stressing that setbacks should not discourage future attempts. His defense of Dr. Bawumia highlights a broader debate within the NPP over how leadership should be assessed following electoral defeat.
While internal party divisions continue to surface in the run-up to the flagbearer race, Hon. Boako’s intervention places emphasis on persistence, history, and faith as guiding principles for leadership renewal within the NPP.
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