The flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has firmly attributed the party’s defeat in the 2024 general elections to a low turnout among its own supporters, rather than the strength of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Speaking at the launch of his “Our Journey Together” campaign in the Sene East Constituency, his message at the campaign launch focused heavily on analyzing the mistakes of the previous election cycle, contending that internal apathy was the sole reason the party surrendered power.
The politician asserted that data from the 2024 elections revealed a significant drop in voter participation from the NPP base. He explained that a colossal number of voters who supported the party in 2020 simply failed to show up at the polling stations four years later.
“NPP’s votes went down. About 2.1 million people who voted for us in 2020 did not vote in 2024. These were NPP members – we simply didn’t vote”
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Former Vice President and NPP Flagbearer Hopeful
The former Vice President systematically used election figures to prove his point that the NPP defeated itself, highlighting that the margin of victory secured by the NDC and current President John Dramani Mahama was less than the number of NPP supporters who chose to stay home.
This calculation, according to Dr. Bawumia, conclusively showed that the defeat was an internal collapse rather than an external surge.
Former President John Mahama, who is now in his second term, secured his victory with a margin of 1.7 million votes. This figure, Dr. Bawumia noted, is significantly smaller than the 2.1 million votes lost by the NPP.
He therefore maintained that the result would have been different if those dedicated members had participated in the polls. He underscored his position by stating that the lost votes represented “a clear, missed opportunity for the party.”
“If our 2.1 million members had turned out, we would have won,” he stressed.
Victory in 2028
The Flagbearer hopeful expressed strong optimism about the NPP’s prospects for the 2028 general elections, his confidence stemming from the belief that the party does not need to convert new voters but simply needs to re-energize and mobilize its own existing base.
Dr. Bawumia emphasized the necessity of resolving internal squabbles and divisions that may have contributed to the apathy observed in the 2024 polls and may still be persisting in opposition.
He concluded his address by calling for unity within the party’s ranks, and a focused effort on voter turnout to ensure a successful comeback.
For Dr. Bawumia, victory in 2028 is inevitable if only the NPP effectively mobilizes its base for the exercise. He noted that the first step to achieving that goal is investigating and resolving all factors that led to the voter apathy in the first place.
“I am confident that, by the grace of God, if we do this, we will win the next election,” Dr. Bawumia said, positioning his campaign message as one clearly designed to shift the focus from a political failure to a logistical and motivational challenge that can be overcome through unified action.
Dr. Bawumia is currently crisscrossing the country to mobilize support ahead of the party’s primaries, positioning himself as the candidate capable of uniting the base and recapturing power in the 2028 elections.
The launch of his campaign signals a fresh attempt to secure the mandate to lead the NPP into the next crucial electoral cycle.
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