The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has finally taken over the leadership role of the New Patriotic Party, NPP from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after 16 years of tenure.
This history was made on 4th November 2023 at the Accra Sports Stadium, after Dr Bawumia’s triumph as the NPP’s flagbearer, following the party’s presidential primary, which is a significant milestone.
He secured a substantial victory with 61.43% of the total votes, with Kennedy Agyapong, his closest rival, receiving 37.41% of the vote share. The other two contestants, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Francis Addai Nimo, garnered 0.75% and 0.41% of the votes, respectively.
Certified results released by the Director of Election at the Electoral Commission, Siriboe Quaicoe, showed that Dr Bawumia secured 118,210 votes, representing 61.47%, while his closest competitor, Mr Agyapong, garnered 71,996 votes, representing 37.41%. Dr. Afriyie Akoto and Addai-Nimoh secured 1,459 and 731 votes, respectively.
A total of 192,446 delegates participated in the presidential primary, with a turnout of 94.63%. While Dr Bawumia was expected to win, he fell short of the 80% target set by his campaign team.
President Akufo-Addo has held the position of the party’s leader since 2007. As per the NPP’s constitution, Dr Bawumia, following his victory in the presidential primaries, assumes the role of the new leader of the party.
During his handing over, President Akufo-Addo expressed his commitment to ensuring that Dr. Bawumia becomes the President in the 2024 elections.
He expressed gratitude to the party for having placed its trust in him for 16 years and expressed optimism in Dr Bawumia’s ability to unite the party.
President Akufo-Addo further praised Dr Bawumia’s dedication to the party over the years, emphasising that his victory is a well-deserved recognition of his hard work.
“Sixteen years of work in opposition and government has been rewarded by the party with this leadership that has been conferred upon him and I am confident Dr Bawumia will be able to unite this party with the assistance of Kennedy Agyapong, Dr Afriyie Akoto and Addai-Nimoh and all the other contestants and provide us the strong leadership to take on the NDC in 2024 and inflict a third successive defeat on John Dramani Mahama,” he said.
Dr Bawumia’s victory marks a historic moment, as he becomes the first non-Akan to lead the NPP into a general election.
He has served as the running mate to President Akufo-Addo since 2008.
The outcome will hinge on various factors, including the state of the economy, campaign strategies, and voter turnout.
The Vice President, now the 2024 Presidential candidate of the NPP, will face formidable opponents, including the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, and Alan Kyerematen, in the 2024 elections.
This outcome paves the way for a competitive political landscape as the candidates vie for the presidency.
-BY Daniel Bampoe