Hon. Dickson Adomako Kissi, the Member of Parliament representing Anyaa-Sowutuom, has called on the leadership and membership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to rally behind Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s suggestion to select Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, also known as NAPO, as his running mate in the upcoming elections.
According to the Member of Parliament for Anyaa-Sowutuom, the decision of the party’s flagbearer regarding his running mate for the December 7 elections is a personal prerogative that should be respected by all party members to foster unity and cohesion in the lead-up to the crucial polls.
Dr. Adomako Kissi emphasised that the party’s flagbearer has the exclusive right to choose from a range of options, and it is his sole prerogative to select the most suitable candidate to partner with him on the ticket.
“In the interest of allowing cohesion in the party and also making it firm for Bawumia, if that is his choice, it is his prerogative and we cannot take it from him, even if supposing Akufo-Addo and others are not even in support of this ticket, I think it is one thing we owe it to any presidential candidate in terms of the name or choice that he has.
“Of all the things that we can argue with Bawumia, I think that in this choice-making, at any point in time, if we were voting, his vote will have a higher premium than any other person at NEC and it has always been so.”
Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi
Dr. Adomako Kissi stressed that permitting Dr. Bawumia to choose his running mate without external influence is essential to upholding a healthy democratic process, ensuring the flagbearer’s autonomy and accountability in his decision, and ultimately strengthening the party’s unity and cohesion.
Analyst Describes Bawumia-NAPO Ticket As Shrewd Move
Moreover, Dr. John Osae-Kwapong, a renowned political analyst and research fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has praised the proposal to pair Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia with Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh as his running mate.
He described it as a shrewd and strategic move that demonstrates a thoughtful approach to building a strong ticket for the upcoming elections.
Dr. Osae-Kwapong observed that the choice of NAPO as Dr. Bawumia’s running mate was entirely predictable, given the chorus of influential voices that had advocated for his selection, making it a widely anticipated move within political circles.
“After some time, I got the impression that there were active attempts by certain key voices to highlight the fact that he [NAPO] would be a strong candidate to partner with Bawumia in the upcoming elections so I wasn’t particularly surprised when the announcement was made that his name was submitted to NEC for consideration.
“Every presidential candidate selects their running mate, I believe, being guided by two key things; the political dividends that they believe the candidate can bring to their campaign and then also the governance dividends”.
Dr. Osae-Kwapong
Furthermore, Dr. Osae-Kwapong pointed out that when all factors are considered, the Vice President’s decision to choose NAPO as his running mate is a logical and coherent choice, as it takes into account various crucial elements, ultimately making it a well-informed and strategic move.
Dr. Osae-Kwapong noted that the Vice President believes NAPO’s selection will significantly bolster his presidential bid, enabling him to build a compelling case for his candidacy and ultimately pave the way for a successful Bawumia presidency.
Dr. Osae-Kwapong emphasised that if Dr. Bawumia emerges victorious, his choice of NAPO as his running mate will prove to be a wise decision that will facilitate a smooth transition and enable him to effectively govern the country, leveraging NAPO’s expertise and experience to drive progress and growth.
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