Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
It is presidential primary season again and in usual expectation, NPP has the men with humongous ambition to lead the party.
There is a smorgasbord of candidates in the fray—a few with good reasons to be in the contest but many others, with no business being in the race.
In the crowded field, we have the charismatic Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia—a man who has built organic support within the party, endeared himself with a large following among the current party system and equally within those aggrieved with the current administration who see him as one who can bring change and unity. His rise and attempt at the presidency seem divine.
Alan Kyerematen, former trade minister— who will be making his fourth attempt at the flagbearership. Alan’s candidature carries the burden of mostly disgruntled former appointees of Akufo-Addo and some remnant front men of the Kufuor era who want a political comeback.
Kennedy Agyapong’s candidature is a barking challenge not grounded in empirical or substantive data on Ghanaians not wanting a Muslim president in Bawumia. In a Trumpist style however, he has succeeded in building respectable momentum.
Afriyie Akoto is making a challenge in an attempt to cement a family heritage for proper historical recognition; Konadu Apraku has become a perennial candidate in an attempt to fulfil a fading childhood ambition; Joe Ghartey is trying something, whose outcome the jury is yet to ascertain; Kwabena Agyapong is pissing-in for all the injustices he believes he has suffered from the NPP; Boakye Agyarko, has held a long presidential ambition and its part of the process for him; Addai Nimo for some reason, has developed a penchant to contest presidential primaries and Kwadwo Poku is a little known newcomer.
The large number of candidates has set the stage for a long winding acrimonious primary process— a super delegate process to prune down the number to 5, before the larger electoral college will vote on the top 5 to elect a flagbearer who will square-off with John Mahama of the NDC in December 2024. Given this context, we will look at the issues that will determine the election outcomes.
What should the NPP do with Bawumia
In 2008, a 44-year unknown banker was pushed into political limelight as the running mate to Akufo-Addo. In between that time and now, he has contested on the ticket of the NPP on 5 presidential elections (if you add the 2008 run-off) and served as vice president for two presidential terms. Bawumia is Muslim and a Northerner but by family background, education, training, and competence—a quintessential NPP flagbearer candidate and presents a conundrum for party delegates.
The NPP over the years has been tagged as an Akan party that only entertains northerners as vice presidents for political expediency. For the first time in its history, the party has a leading candidate who will neutralize that negative reputation. In Bawumia, the party has a candidate who fits-the-part— but for religion and ethnicity as vehemently being argued by some party fanatics. The dilemma for NPP is to dare if they do go with Bawumia or dare if they don’t. The fundamental question is, why not Bawumia? How can the party explain that to the doubters of the NPP (including John Mahama) that the NPP is an inclusive and broad-based party but not an Akan hegemony. Yes, there are many other reasons why the party could choose an equally qualified candidate to lead, but until the opponents of Bawumia can make the case besides religion and ethnicity, we will wait for the reasons.
What does Bawumia bring to the table?
In Bawumia the NPP has a candidate who possesses demonstrated presidential quality, experience, and an unrivaled ability to take the NDC head-on while in opposition and currently in government. He is an experienced campaign juggernaut with measurable delivery in 2012, 2016 and 2020. This is an asset none of the other candidates possess. To add to this, he has a wife who also has a demonstrated campaigning record, a strong asset none of the other candidates or spouses can compare.
Bawumia brings to the race a proven constituency— yes, he has brought the Northern Region to the NPP. From 4 out of 20 parliamentary seats in the region in 2008, through his hard work and that of others, the NPP has 16 against the NDC’s 15 in the traditional northern region (Northern, Northeast and Savanna). Over the last few elections, the Northern Region has become a battle ground for the NDC from the long days when it was the NDC support region in the path to the presidency. Among the candidates, none has a clearly defined constituency to offer.
As Vice President, he has demonstrated his competence by championing and delivering on numerous government projects. Notably, he has led Ghana’s digitalization agenda with visible outcomes recognized not only in Ghana but across the world. He has not been an armchair vice president but one that has put shoulder to the wheel. He has shown over the years that, the when given the mantle as the top man, he will be a solutions-driven leader who will think outside-the-box and proffer solutions that will spur Ghana’s economic transformation.
Plainly, Bawumia is competent and incorruptible, an attribute that will be significant in determining the 2024 election outcomes.