Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, has rebutted claims that she is lobbying the Vice President to make her his running mate.
The Minister says it is even disrespectful to lobby for such a portfolio since it undermines the decision making authority of the party’s presidential candidate.
The Ablekuma West Member of Parliament has expressed the need to allow the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party make his choice without any external pressure.
“Let him be given the space to choose the person he best thinks can partner with him. I think it is even disrespectful for people to be lobbying as if he can’t make his own decision.
“Is that a position you lobby or gamble for? I am absolutely against any active seeking of any such positi on. It is an appointed position. I think the flag bearer should be left and given the space to decide who he thinks can best partner him,” she said on Accra-based Citi FM Monday, June 24, 2024.
According to Madam Owusu-Ekuful, she has not expressed any interest to anyone to lobby the position for her, urging the public to desist from putting pressure on the Vice President to name his running mate.
“It is an appointed position and I think the flag bearer should be left alone and given the space to decide who he thinks can best partner him and boost his chances in the election.
“People may speculate my name but I have not told anybody that I am interested in any position. If the flag bearer thinks in his wisdom that I can assist him, why not?
“No media person can ever say anywhere that I have contacted him to put my name out there or anybody for that matter. I think the flag bearer should be given the space to choose who he thinks can best partner him. It will be great if a female is chosen and I made this call eight years ago,” she stated.
With six months to the December general elections, the NPP has no running mate for its flag bearer contrary to what is stated in their constitution, requiring a flag bearer who is not the president to name his running mate one clear year to the elections.
On December 06, 2023, when leadership of the party and elders met with the flag bearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, he asked for extension of time to allow him to conduct further consultations to come up with a name.
Several calls have come for Dr. Bawumia to select a female candidate following the naming of Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, to again, partner John Dramani Mahama of the NDC for the December 07 polls.
Some names have since popped up, including the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, the Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund, Irene Naa Torshie Addo, the Vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson, Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and Ursula Owusu-Ekuful among other persons.
‘When I get the chance, I will do it nicely, but…’ – Ursula Owusu on being Bawumia’s running mate
