It was a sight to behold when Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia stormed the national headquarters of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) after filing his nomination to contest the 2024 general election as the presidential candidate of the ruling NPP yesterday, in Accra.
This was after sending his completed nomination forms, filing fee, including their tax clearance certificate, police clearance and a completed assets declaration to the Electoral Commission (EC).
At the Asylum Down national headquarters, an enthusiastic crowd of party supporters gathered in waiting.
The entire place went agog when he alighted from his campaign bus and mounted the stage to rapturous cheers and shouts of ‘It Is Possible’, with musician Samini’s ‘No Pressure’ campaign song giving a booster.
Together with him were a retinue of party kingpins including but not limited to his running mate, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh; Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare; NPP National Chairman, Stephen Ayesu Ntim; General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong; leadership and members of his campaign team, former NPP Chairmen, Peter Mac Manu and Freddie Blay, Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin and a host of others.
Addressing the party supporters, Dr. Bawumia was more than confident about the chances of the New Patriotic Party winning the upcoming general election.
About a year ago, he could not but admit the genuine fears that many including even NPP members and supporters had about the chances of the party winning the December 2024 elections, questioning whether the elephant would be able to ride to victory.
That, he said, was because the party was engaged in its internal elections which caused a little distraction.
A year later, Dr. Bawumia said he could report that “So far, the NPP, the elephant party, is back in very good shape and we are riding to victory in 2024.”
“So far, the narrative has changed and the momentum is now on our side; it is clear and our opponents, a year ago seemed very confident, but today, rather than being confident, they seem very angry as they see themselves losing this election,” he noted with confidence.
He questioned the credentials of his opponent, former President John Mahama, in seeking re-election considering how Ghana was plunged into darkness for not less than four years under his leadership as President, and the inability to supply common writing chalks to schools aside cancelling the nursing and teacher trainee allowances, and almost succeeded in collapsing the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) introduced by the Kufuor-led NPP administration and the National Ambulance Service which was literally wobbling on one leg.
Aside that, he said Mahama left a banking system which was in crisis and, therefore, wondered how a man who was bold enough to tell Ghanaians he was not a magician to create jobs and put money in people’s pockets wants to come back and steer the affairs of the nation.
He, thus, could not but describe former President Mahama who is the presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) as a bad driver who does not deserve another chance.
Whilst he admitted that the current NPP government, of which he is a proud member, faced some storms along the way, Dr. Bawumia, who is also the head of the Economic Management Team of the NPP’s administration said, “But we have managed to get the bus from all the way from Nsawam to Walewale.”
“So we are here in Walewale and we are going to go to Paga,” he said.
He, therefore, asked the rank and file of the party not to be complacent about the elections, saying, “We have to work hard and come together, unified in every constituency, every electoral area, every polling station to make sure that we bring out our people on the day to let people see what the NPP has done.”
Dr. Bawumia asked Ghanaians not to fall for any of Mahama’s fanciful promises of ‘nkɔkɔ nkiti nkiti and 24-hour discothèque’.
Earlier on, after receiving Dr. Bawumia’s nomination forms, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa said it was the first time in the history of Ghana for a sitting Vice President to personally submit his nomination forms to contest as president.
She, however, indicated that the Commission has a checklist and would review all forms submitted and award marks.
That aside, she said the EC also has an IT team that has been tasked to scrutinise the identities of persons who have endorsed the nomination forms of the candidates, to ensure strict compliance of the law.
Dr. Bawumia described it as historic opportunity and prayed for God’s blessings for Ghana as the country heads for another election.
He was confident Ghana will come out in one piece and prayed for the good Lord to strengthen and guide the EC whilst expressing confidence in their ability to live up to the task.
He also prayed that the Lord will make the NPP victorious in the upcoming election to improve the livelihood of the Ghanaian people.
At the party headquarters, General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong advised the rank and file of the party not to rest on their oars because of the government’s sterling performance, but work hard to secure victory come December 7.
He specially charged appointees of the government sitting on the fence to join the campaign to bring the expected victory.
Campaign Chairman, Dan Botwe, promised a disciplined and focused campaign to help retain power.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin said it was a nostalgic memory for him when he witnessed Dr. Bawumia filing his nomination.
“We have demonstrated in the NPP that it doesn’t matter your religion… irrespective of where you come from, you are recognised,” he insisted.
He, therefore, asked Ghanaians to give Dr. Bawumia the opportunity to lead the country.
National Chairman, Stephen Ayesu Ntim, promised to give the party a President since it was a pledge he made to the rank and file of the party when he was seeking election for the position of Chairman.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent