A senior lecturer and political analyst at the University of Cape Coast, Dr. Jonathan Asante Otchere, has stated that the undue delay in the selection of a running mate for the NPP flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is either the flagbearer is struggling to accept the nominee of the power brokers within the party.
He said the indecision on the part of the NPP Flagbearer as far as the selection of a running mate is concerned is “quite worrying.”
Also, the political analyst stressed that it could also mean the party leadership is rejecting Dr. Bawumia’s proposed candidate.
With barely less than eight months until the December 7 elections, the governing party has yet to unveil its running mate to partner Dr. Bawumia to break the ‘eight’.
However, some political watchers believe the undue delay in announcing Dr. Bawumia’s running mate could mean the party is not finding a match for the NDC’s Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
Speaking on 3FM’s news analysis programme Hot Edition on Thursday, May 9, Dr. Asante Otchere maintained that such delay fueled the perception that Dr. Bawumia is not his own man.
“I am of the view that he has unduly delayed that particular decision and it is making other people weigh in with their own demands and requests and that will bring more pressure and once you take the decision, you virtually alienate other regions.”
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“The other thing too is that it appears that the power brokers and the owners of the party are also not certain on whom to choose. It is either the person Dr. Bawumia is asking for is not going to be granted and Dr. Bawumia is struggling to accept the powers that be the choice they’re making for him, hence the delay and stalemate.
“There is no other scientific basis to determine the lateness,” he emphasised.
Moreover, Dr. Asante Otchere argued that Dr. Bawumia may not have complete autonomy to select his running mate outside the party stronghold, Ashanti Region.
Key figures within the governing party have hinted at a ‘Northern-Ashanti’ ticket for the 2024 elections. For the first time, the NPP has elected a candidate from Northern Ghana to lead the party.
Responding to whether Dr. Bawumia is obligated to select his running from the Ashanti Region, he said, “…he is not someone who can claim that kind of ownership of the party like the likes of Kufuor, President Akufo-Addo, Osafo-Maafo and so on.”
“He [Dr. Bawumia] does not have that kind of clout within the party, truth be told,” he stated.
