The 2024 flag bearer for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), “Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, was not the most suitable candidate” for the party, Francis Addai-Nimoh, a stalwart of the NPP, has disclosed.
Speaking on Maakye, Onua TV’s morning show on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, Addai-Nimoh explained that although he can’t say Bawumia was a “bad choice” for the party, he believes he wasn’t the most suitable either.
Addai-Nimoh says the party’s humiliating defeat was caused by several factors, including the choice of leader they selected for the contest.
According to him, the NPP wasn’t attractive at the time, considering the government’s abysmal performance, which made the candidate closely associated with the administration less than ideal.
He explains that all ten candidates who contested in the race were suitable, which is why they passed through the vetting process to contest. However, choosing the final candidate to represent the party in the general elections became problematic.
“Bawumia wasn’t the most suitable choice for the NPP. Our message wasn’t getting to the people and they all show he (Bawumia) wasn’t the most suitable choice.
“We were 10 people who were all suitable since we all passed the vetting. But when it came for us to make the most suitable choice, we couldn’t choose the most suitable,” he stated.
The former Member of Parliament for Mampong also cited the exit of Alan Kyerematen as one of the reasons the party lost the December elections. He explained that some people became disgruntled at the time, down to the grassroots, coupled with the hardships Ghanaians were facing.
“The party wasn’t attractive because there was no unity. Alan Kyerematen opted out and those remaining, some were bitter, down to the grassroots. The government’s performance was also poor with many Ghanaians suffering at the time,” he expressed.
The NPP’s 2024 presidential primary elected Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, then Vice President of Ghana, as its flag bearer.
Dr Bawumia defeated a field of three other candidates, including Kennedy Ohene Agyapong who is a former Assin Central MP, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, a former Minister of Agriculture and Mr. Addai-Nimoh, the former Mampong MP.
Certified results announced by a deputy Commissioner of the Electoral Commission, Dr Serebour Quaicoe, revealed that Dr Bawumia polled 118,210 votes representing 61.47% while his closest contender,. Mr Agyapong polled 71,996 votes representing 37.41%.
Dr. Afriyie Akoto who placed a distant third polled 1,459 votes representing 0.76% while Addai-Nimoh garnered a meagre 731 representing 0.41%.
A total of 192,446 delegates voted in November 4, 2024 presidential primary. The total valid votes were 193,346 with 900 votes rejected with a voter turnout of 94.63%.
Bawumia was predicted from the start to win the presidential primary but he, however, failed to meet the target of 80% set by members of his campaign team.
Several MPs and Ministers threw their support behind Dr Bawumia who was regarded as the establishment’s candidate.
