Delegates of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) have indeed proved that they are content with the signal and believe breaking the 8 is possible by endorsing Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as the party's flagbearer for the 2024 general elections.
Over 200,000 delegates participated in the election which was dubbed a ‘showdown’ between Dr Bawumia and Member of Parliament for Assin Central constituency Kennedy Agyepong in 277 constituencies across the country.
At the end of the contest, the Electoral Commission declared Dr Bawumia as the winner, after he secured 118,210 out of the total of 193,346 votes cast; representing an impressive 61.47%.
His closest rival, Ken Ohene Agyapong, secured 71,996 votes.
Dr. Afriyie Akoto and Francis Addai-Nimoh garnered 1459 and 781 votes respectively.
Quite significantly, there was a whopping 900 rejected votes.
Super Delegates Conference
It may be recalled that Bawumia secured a commanding victory in the Super Delegates Conference, receiving 629 votes, which represented 68.15 percent of the total votes cast. Kennedy Agyapong secured the second position, while former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, came in third.
Bawumia tipped to win
Bawumia was tipped by most political analysts to win the primary based on his experience and ability to match the presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to a poll by Global Info Analytics, Dr Bawumia is still in the lead, followed by Kennedy Agyapong.
The Executive Director and Head of Global Research, Global Info Analytics, Mussa Dankwah said the opinion poll showed Dr Bawumia leading the race with 43.5 per cent, and his closest challenger, Mr Agyapong, with 23.5 per cent, while Mr Addai-Nimoh and Dr Afriyie Akoto took the third and fourth positions with 0.4 per cent and 0.3 per cent, respectively.
Pollster and managing news editor of the daily dispatch newspaper, Ben Ephson, also predicted that Vice President Bawumia would win by a landslide.
According to him, he will win the primaries with about 73 percent of the 208,144 delegates voting for him.
What next
The next showdown will now be between Dr Bawumia and NDC Presidential candidate, former President John Dramani Mahama.
The NPP intends to break the '8' while the NDC is determined to stage a comeback.
The Digitalisation Man, Dr Bawumia
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, a Ghanaian economist and a banker, was born on October 7th, 1963. He is currently serving as the Vice President and the head of Ghana's Economic Management Team of Ghana.
Prior to his appointment as Vice President, Bawumia served as the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana. In 2008 and 2012, he was the Vice-Presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), running alongside the presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo.
During the 2012/2013 Presidential Election Petition, he served as the lead witness for the petitioners who challenged the election of John Mahama as the winner.
Under the current administration, Dr. Bawumia's digitalisation efforts have been a crucial driver of economic transformation.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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Ken you really did well in the just ended NPP presidential aspirant race. You really gave the Vice President though time. We really appreciate your your hard work. NPP has proven to us that they only think about their stomach and not the interest of this nation. You sacrificed and used your media stations to defend the party. Today you were told unfit to lead the party . In as much as you have promised to help break the 8, please do not do the dirty works you did in the past for which reason you were branded as “ you talk too much”, “ you insult a lot” . This opportunity has also helped you to know your true friends in the party. You donated and stood on campaign platform for most of your colleagues but today when it was your turn they rather stabbed you, as if that was not enough, they called you names. Please if you want to come back some day, then be guided by your speeches and do not do those dirty works again.
Yes, Bawumia has won. But for 1 man ( Kennedy Agyapong) to stand up against a whole government machinery ie ministers, deputy ministers, CEO's, MMDCEs, some party executives to reach that far 71,996 (37.41%) as against 118,210 (61.43%) should tell anyone that Kennedy Agyapong is a force to reckon with in the NPP. Even at the party's headquarters where the creme de la creme of the party voted Kennedy got 133 votes . Bawumia needs to see him behind the scenes and make him (Kennedy) an integral part of campaign. From the results it could also be seen that some delegates voted for Kennedy not because they don't want Bawumia but they used a canes meant for some appointees on Bawumia especially some of those appointees who were rooting for Bawumia in the various regions and constituencies. There is/was also every indication that the gap between the party and government is very wide. It is only under this government where political appointees( ministers and MMDCEs) are more powerful than party executives . Under Kufuor it couldn't have happened. All these led to some delegates given their votes to Kennedy out of pain. Bawumia has a lot of work to do within the NPP front. How to convince the ordinary NPP supporter to make sacrifices again like we saw in 2016 is not going to be easy. Some of the appointees have become very unpopular in their regions and constituencies to the extent that the party youth don't want to hear their names. How will such appointees lead the campaign in their regions. Bawumia needs to do some background checks before coming out with his campaign teams in the various regions. If you hold a ministerial position in the NPP for 7 to 8 years non stop and can convince your people to vote for you as MP but can't convince them to give your presidential candidate majority of the votes in your constituency means you have a problem. Who's constituencies should your presidential candidate win to become president and make you a minister. If you are a minister or MMDCE but can't win the polling station where you vote should tell you how unpopular you are in your own home. All these are yardsticks that should be used to check the caliber of people who will be at the forefront of the Bawumia campaign. Bawumia as the flag bearer should also call a meeting of the appointees and talk to them to humble themselves. On 7 December,2024 the number of human beings you have by way of ballots will determine whether you qualify to be president and not money, power or influence. Simply put in elections human beings are more important than money, power and influence so the appointees should respect everyone they come into contact with irrespective of their social or economic standing. You may be a minister or MMDCE or CEO but you may not have your own biological children who are 18 years and above to queue to vote for Bawumia to become president. So who's 18 year old child are you relying on to queue to vote for Bawumia to " break the 8" and make you a minister, CEO or MMDCE? I doubt whether Bawumia has his own biological child who is 18 years and above ie the legal age to qualify to vote in Ghana. I wish Bawumia well , the challenge has to do with some of the the appointees especially the young ones.They can cause NPP troubles in 2024. All those who voted for Kennedy are now going be joined by their wives, husbands and children on 7 December,2024. Where they put their votes matters a lot. Everybody should be brought on board, everybody. Mahama is definitely not the alternative but the action and inaction of NPP appointees can be Mahama's advantage. The current numbers in parliament should be enough lessons for the NPP to learn from. It can happen again if not worse. The next 1 year will determine the outcome of election 2024. Bawumia, the ball is in your court.