The Campaign Team of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has refuted claims made by Assin Central Member of Parliament Kennedy Ohene Agyapong that he was offered US$800 million to withdraw from the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential primaries.
In a statement, Dr. Gideon Boako, Spokesperson for the Bawumia Campaign, denied that Dr. Bawumia had offered Kennedy Agyapong money to drop out of the race and described the claims as “ridiculous.”
According to him, the Vice President has neither met privately with Kennedy Agyapong since he entered into the race nor ever instructed anybody to meet with his competitor nor his assigns to negotiate anything in respect of the November 4 contest.
Mr. Agyapong, while responding to claims by former Member of Parliament for Suhum, Frederick Opare-Ansah that he made a demand of $500 million in annual contracts from Vice President Dr. Bawumia, alleged he was rather offered $800 million to step down from the NPP flagbearership race.
The Assin Central firebrand MP made the outlandish claims in an interview on Kumasi-based Time FM on Sunday, October 29, 2023.
“Does he know the number of people who have approached me but for the love of Ghana and the delegates I have said I will never do it. The money they offered is $800 million if he doesn’t know. He should ask Mr. Oppong Bio, if that is what they are saying, but I said no I will not step down, Ghana first.
“In 2016, you people were not able to buy pickups. How come today you are able to offer me $800 million? So I said I won’t step down…” he stated.
The Bawumia Campaign team issued a denial a day after Kennedy Agyapong’s claims, saying the Vice President and his team considered “this $800 million claim as absolutely ridiculous, and it shows gross disregard for the intelligence of Ghanaians.”
According to the statement, Dr. Bawumia is and has always been confident that, by the Grace of God, he will defeat Mr. Agyapong on November 4, 2023, and has never entertained any desire for him to withdraw from the NPP presidential race.
“It is instructive to note that the latest allegation by Kennedy Agyapong, is a rehash of a similar allegation he made about a month ago, claiming without proof, that he was offered money to step down and be a running mate to Dr. Bawumia – a baseless claim we publicly denied on September 30, 2023.
“The Vice President is a man noted for his modesty, and he remains committed to his life-long values of serving people with his intellect,” the statement said.
The statement urged the public to disregard such “outrageous lies, directed subtly at the Bawumia Campaign, we also reiterate Dr. Bawumia’s commitment to running a decent campaign devoid of personality attacks, lies, and insults to preserve the unity of our great party.”
By Ernest Kofi Adu