Dr. Hassan Ayariga, founder and leader of the All People’s Congress (APC), has urged Ghana’s Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is also the flagbearer for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to resign from his current office.
Dr. Ayariga, speaking on A1 Radio, expressed concerns that the Vice President’s dual role creates an unfair advantage in the upcoming general elections.
According to Dr. Ayariga, the Vice President has effectively vacated his official duties to focus on campaigning as the NPP’s flagbearer, utilizing state machinery, resources, and personnel in the process.
This shift, he argues, undermines the impartiality expected from a sitting Vice President and misuses taxpayer funds. “The Vice President of the Republic of Ghana currently is the sitting Vice President. Where we sit today, the Vice President is on his way in the Upper East campaign. He has left his office and duties as Vice President and has taken a new role.”
Dr. Ayariga noted that other candidates who were once ministers have resigned to fully commit to their campaigns, suggesting that the Vice President should follow suit. “I am saying if we really want to move on, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana by this time should resign his office and allow another Vice President to be appointed.”
He criticized the use of state resources for campaign activities and emphasized that such practices disadvantage other candidates who do not have similar access to government resources. “All his colleagues who contested to become flagbearers that were Ministers of State have resigned and became flagbearers. Why is the Vice President adamant in resigning his position, wasting our resources, being at an advantage over some of us who do not have government properties around us or resources around us?” he questioned.
In response to this situation, Dr. Ayariga is calling for a constitutional amendment to prevent future vice presidents from holding their office while running for election. “Going forward, there should be a constitutional instrument restraining all vice presidents who want to contest any election from still holding their position as Vice President.” “We should also make amendments to our constitution because the constitution does not allow even the sitting president to contest as president while holding office of the president,” he added.
He plans to petition the Speaker of Parliament and the Supreme Court to address this issue. “I’m sending a letter to the Speaker of Parliament including the Supreme Court for us to look at this situation of the current situation we find ourselves in.”
Highlighting issues surrounding his campaign, Dr. Ayariga said “it is capitally insensitive because people use so much money to lure the people to vote for them.”
He advocates for legislative changes to ensure equal footing for all candidates.
He aims to submit a formal petition by Friday to initiate these changes.
Source: A1Radioonline.Com|101.1MHZ|Gifty Eyram Kudiabor|Bolgatanga|
