Bawumia should forget about being NPP flagbearer for 2024 – Richard Amoako Baah
Dr Richard Amoako Baah, a strong member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has urged Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to rescind his presidential ambitions to allow others who were members of the party before he joined to run for the position of NPP flagbearer in the 2024 elections.
According to Dr Amoako Baah, as cited by 3news.com on Thursday, February 24 2022, “there were others who wanted to be president but put their ambitions on hold to support Akufo-Addo.
“They hoped that it would get to their turn after President Akufo-Addo is done serving his term”, he stated.
“We don’t understand what we are doing in terms of democracy and party politics,” he said, adding that “Just because you hold a certain position does not make you an automatic candidate, there were other people there before you came.
“Look at the situation, Nana Addo brought Bawumia in, Bawumia was not an NPP insider, Nana Addo brought him in. People opposed it but he was adamant and he went to the elections with him but they lost, they went again and they lost, went again.
“That is twelve years, twelve years in line the others were still waiting. In most countries this will not happen, two times you are out, are you the only person in the party?.
“We had great hopes in Nana Addo and so we said we should let him go. I worked so hard for him but look at the situation now, you bring a young man as shadow Vice President for twelve years, plus four years that is sixteen years now. He is going for another four years and that is twenty years.
“What happened to those who were in line who were challenging Nana Addo? Twenty years, you should step aside because you have to be fair to the party. Step aside and let the others also compete, that is fairness. You don’t say I want this, I don’t want this and because I picked him as Vice President he should go. Is he the only person in the party?” he queried.
The Race to lead NPP in 2024
So far, five NPP stalwarts have declared their ambitions to lead the party.
There has been a lot of speculation about who will lead the NPP in the next election, with names like Vice President Dr Bawumia and Minister of Trade and Industry Alan Kyerematen surfacing.
Minister of Agriculture Dr Afriyie Akoto, former Energy Minister Boakye Kyerematen Agyarko, and former Railway Development Minister Joe Ghartey are among those expected to run for the NPP flagbearer when President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s term ends.
