On Saturday, 26th August, 2023, delegates of the New Patriotic Party across the country and other parts of the world (External branches) voted at 17 polling stations in the country to select five standard-bearer aspirants out of 10 for the final showdown on November 4, 2023.
This pruning process became necessary because the party’s constitution (Article 13:9) stipulates that where more than five standard-bearer aspirants are qualified to contest, there should be a selection process (A Special Electoral College) to get the first five. That was exactly what happened on Saturday.
It was an election with high stakes with all the euphoria, anxiety, tension, anticipation, showdown among others.
In fact, the previous super delegates conferences didn’t witness most of the characteristics mentioned above. This election has been the superlative of the super delegates conferences.
At the end of the day, the election was peaceful, transparent, free and fair. The voters selected the one they felt is the best and represents the voice of the party at all levels.
Dr. Bawumia, who received the most votes: 629 out of 927, representing 68% represents the choice of the party. He won all the 17 polling stations demonstrating his acceptance by the rank and file of the party. He is not only for the leadership, or those at the upper echelon of the party, but the grassroots too. He is a grassroots man.
With the result on Saturday, especially the difference between the votes garnered by Dr. Bawumia and his distant 2nd and 3rd contestants, it is very strange for some political pundits and commentators to suggest that, there could be an overtaking by those who came after him.
This is a quixotic expedition and thought that should be perished. Perish that thought. In fact, it can’t and won’t happen.
Those commentators and political pundits are just deceiving those aspirants, and sadly, goading them to waste their diminished resources. I doubt, if they would have gone ahead to contest if they were in such position. Let’s be real and stop the speculative ejaculations.
They should stop giving them false hope. They should be bold and tell them to quit because the task ahead of them is no kid’s play. It’s an insurmountable one. Impossicant! They will lose again.
What is even more ridiculous and unthinkable is the mistaken belief that the other four aspirants have the support of the grassroots. As if they own the grassroots or possess a magic wand to attract them. This is strange thinking. How do you assume that the first, with that huge margin, will not have the grassroots support, but those who fell behind him will? Does it make sense?
If any of the other aspirants had even won one region or polling station, then we can suggest, albeit carefully, that the unthinkable can happen.
You didn’t get a single region or polling station, yet bragging that you can leapfrog and win. What about the one who won all the polling stations? That person can’t, how?
Let me conclude by stating that, the result on Saturday is a reflection of the thinking and thoughts of the party at all levels. The grassroots prefer the Vice President. The outcome on Saturday is the will of the party. The will of the rank and file of the party: the grassroots. This thinking, emphatic declaration and endorsement of the VP will not change on November 4, 2023. It will be the same. Dr. Bawumia will win again.
Let those losing aspirants tinkering themselves and laughing beware. Let them study the results critically. Let them look before they leap. They can’t pull a surprise. It won’t happen. It can’t happen. The dust is settled.
I will encourage them to yield, and support Dr. Bawumia, the winner on Saturday. He’s the obvious choice of the party and the people.
We must douse the internal inferno. We must move on. We must save resources. We must mobilize resources to face the NDC on December 7, 2024. That should be the focus now because the internal contest is settled already. Nothing will change on November 4.
God bless Ghana. God bless the NPP.
By Kingsley Nyarko, MP, Kwadaso