The leadership of the ruling New Patriotic Party has granted the Vice President and the party’s flagbearer for the 2024 general elections, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia additional time to continue his consultation and engagement for the selection of the party’s running mate for the 2024 general elections.
The statement was made by the party’s General Secretary, Lawyer Justin Frimpong Kodua at a media engagement on Wednesday, December 6 2023, after a meeting by the National Executive Committee and National Council of the party regarding the selection of the party’s running mate.
According to Lawyer Justin Kodua even though the Vice President and the party’s flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia was required to have presented his running mate to the leadership of the party at its meeting today as required by the party’s constitution, the timeframe within which the party held its National Delegates Congress could not permit him, hence the decision by the leadership of the party to offer him additional time.
“Today should have been the day that our leader of the party and presidential candidate should have presented his running mate to the National Council. However, upon request from the presidential candidate that’s because his election was done on the 4th of November 23, he needs a bit of time to continue with his consultation before it brings the proposed name for running mate to the National Council. And this was unanimously agreed by the National Council”.
Lawyer Justin Frimpong Kodua
The decision by the leadership of the New Patriotic Party gives Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia ample time to choose among the many names that have popped up for the party’s running mate positions.
So far, the leading names in the running mate race for the ruling New Patriotic Party include the Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the former General Secretary of the party, Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Gas, Dr Ben Asante.
Other names also include the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu and the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu.
NPP Reschedules Parliamentary Primaries In Constituencies With Sitting MP’s
Meanwhile, Lawyer Justin Frimpong Kodua, the General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party stated that the party leadership has rescheduled its parliamentary primaries in constituencies where it has parliamentary representation to January 27 2024 instead of the January 20 2024 earlier announced by the party.
According to him, the adjustment in the date for the party’s parliamentary primaries was agreed by the National Executive Committee and National Council meeting which was held on Wednesday, December 6 2023.
Lawyer Justin Kodua further indicated that in the meantime the party leadership has called for the suspension of campaign activities in the various constituencies where the party has sitting Members of Parliament until the approval of the 2024 Budget and Financial Statement and Economic Policy of the government.
He noted that the decision is to allow all Members of Parliament of the governing New Patriotic Party to be present in Parliament during the approval of the budget as mentioned by the Speaker of Parliament.
The ruling New Patriotic Party elected its parliamentary candidates in constituencies that the party does not have representation in Parliament on Saturday, December 2 2023.
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