Amid the wild tales of backdoor dealings and horsing-trading amongst the various power brokers of the ruling New Patriotic Party, the chairman of the party’s 2024 campaign team, Mr. Dan Botwe has debunked the rumors of pressure being mounted on the flagbearer and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia to nominate his running mate.
“We have not mentioned a particular candidate and no such discussion has come up but finding a running mate has never been our problem. It has never been a contentious issue for us.”
Dan Botwe
As the election nears, the two main contenders must “leave no stone unturned” in their bid to capture power. By now the issue of running mate should have been resolved holding to the urgency and high stakes of the polls. That said, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has chosen its pick, while the ruling New Patriotic Party appears stumbling on what to do.
NDC’s choice of Professor Jane Nana Opoku-Agyeman is quite understandable as it presents a stable ticket that contested the previous 2020 but lost. One major advantage dwells on marketability, the team would require less effort to market and promote among the electorate. That said, what counts as an advantage can also count as a weakness. Some voters may feel like, the team lacks freshness and dynamism, but the die has been cast and the NDC has made its choice.
On the other hand, the ruling party appears more fractured and divided than it wants the electorate to believe. Moreover, with a struggling economy and an emerging power crisis, the show of unity would be good for its image going into the contest.
Factors at play
Despite the difficulty of knowing exactly the factors accounting for the seeming delays, it won’t be hard to extrapolate a few points. Having been linked to Akan identity for years, the Danquah-Dombo-Busia political tradition chose a non-akan Presidential candidate for the first time in its history.
It appears that this “disruption” has unnerved the party’s political pulse thus necessitating the need for a delicate balance that won’t undermine its rank and file alongside its voter base.
Another seeming point could be the unwritten Akyem and Asante power “rotation” that Vice President Bawumia’s candidature has unbalanced, prompting the need to “compensate” the Asante faction of the Party. Mind you, the Ashanti Region is a key stronghold the NPP cannot afford to lose.
“Suggested” Names
The Party’s tight lips approach on the matter continues to fuel rumours and speculations. Accordingly, several names have been mentioned and even promoted in the media. A few prominent names frequently mention analysts and several individuals as potential candidates, including Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Joseph Osei Owusu, and esteemed clergyman and former Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Prof. Opoku Onyinah.
Ironically, the late John Kumah was another frequently mentioned name before his untimely demise. On the feminine side, names like Frema Osei Opare, the former Chief of Staff and Communications Minister Ursula Owusu Ekulful have not been left aside.
This has sparked serious lobbying with the party and more specifically, in the Ashanti region.
The President’s Influence
It is incontrovertible that Dr. Bawumia Clinged the flagbearer position due to the formidable bond he has with PresIdent which translated into a massive support and endorsement. In nominating his Running Mate, how influential is the President or will the President be in determining whom he will settle on is a serious issue that should be examined.
President Nana Addo has displayed a rare mastery of the Ghanaian political terrain with a good instinct and domineering traits. As it stands, he is the single most powerful individual within the ruling party. Given the situation, will he further cement his grip over the party by determining who becomes its Running Mate or prefers to leave that option for his protégé the Vice President to make his own decision?
Whatever happens, the ordinary Ghanaian may not know but he is certain to have his day at the polling station to give his verdict on the stewardship of the NPP.
