A member of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Communication team in the Upper East Region, Johnson Ayine, has said that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s election as the flagbearer of the party ahead of the 2024 election completely shatters the long-standing argument that the party can only be led by persons with Akan heritage.
Additionally, Mr. Ayine explained that Dr. Bawumia leading the NPP into the 2024 election is one that inspires hope that one day, his children could also become leaders of the party.
He continued to say that supporters of the NPP in other ethnic minority areas should see Dr. Bawumia’s win as one that also gives them confidence. Mr. Ayine was speaking on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show.
“It is a relief for those of us who are from this part of the country, the Volta Region, and other parts of the region. Before, when you went to these parts of the region and talked about the things that your party has done, the easy thing that our brothers on the other side would come and say is that it is an Akan party. They even questioned how we, as northerners, were following the NPP. They saw us as if we had some mental problem.”
“At times, someone would meet you and say, ‘Ah, Johnson, you of all people, why? This Akan party, why are you following them? What is wrong with you?’ These were the questions they were asking us.”
“I am so happy that today, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is the flagbearer. There is hope that even if I cannot be the flagbearer of the NPP today, maybe my son or daughter can be the leader of the party one day. That alone is good for me,” he said.
On Saturday, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was elected as the flagbearer to contest on the ticket of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 presidential election.
He received 118,210 of the 192,446 valid votes cast, representing 61.47 percent, to defeat his closest competitor, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, in the keenly contested election.
Mr. Agyapong, MP, Assin Central, garnered 71,996 votes, representing 37.41 percent, ahead of two other contenders: former Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who received 1,459 votes, translating into 0.76 percent, and former MP for Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimoh, who received 781 votes, representing 0.41 percent.
A total of 193,346 votes were cast, with 900 votes rejected.
In the Upper East Region, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia received 5,218 votes, while his closest contender, Kennedy Agyapong, received 2,111 votes.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
