General News of Saturday, 18 November 2023
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2023-11-182024 Elections: Five reasons why Kennedy Agyapong will be the perfect partner for Bawumia
Kennedy Agyapong and Bawumia
The immediate conversation after Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia was declared winner of the New Patriotic Party’s presidential primaries on November 4, was who was going to partner with him to ‘break the 8’.
The conversation has intensified recently with a number of names floating around in the media space as the candidate who
Read full articlewill be Bawumia’s running mate for the elections.
GhanaWeb has turned its focus on Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central who Bawumia defeated in the polls.
Today’s article assesses the positive aspects of Ken Agyapong’s political and personal lives that could impact the Bawumia campaign positively should he be appointed as running mate.
Unity within the ranks of NPP
When someone controls over 35% of a party’s delegate population, it most certainly means that the person wields some significant influence.
A number of bridges were burnt during the campaign for the flagbearer process and while Kennedy Agyapong was gracious in defeat, the question still lingers on if he will join Bawumia’s campaign and play a frontal role as he has been doing for the party over the years.
Making him a running mate will close the various ranks within the NPP, highlighting Bawumia’s tolerance, giving the party the unity and peace they crave so much to break the 8.
Guarantees Ashanti Regional votes
An argument that could be made against Kennedy Agyapong is that he is not from the Ashanti Region and that with the party opting for a flagbearer from the northern part of the country, appointing a non-Kumasi person as a running mate could adversely affect their chance.
Correct as that may sound, Kennedy Agyapong is not a stranger to the NPP’s World Bank. He was made in Kumasi, growing up in the Bantama constituency.
In the Ashanti Region, he polled 11, 390 in the primaries which according to his brother and campaign team member, Ralph Agyapong was below their expectations.
What this means is that Kennedy Agyapong will help the NPP achieve their percentage target in the Ashanti Region as he already has a history with the people.
Bigger funding source to run campaign
Kennedy Agyapong was able to run a relatively successful campaign in the primaries because he is resourceful and had business connections that supported his bid.
Making him a running mate means that the Bawumia team would have their financial burdens reduced as Kennedy Agyapong has the financial capability to run a nationwide campaign on his own.
Secures Central swings significant votes in Volta The Central and Volta Regions are the two regions Kennedy Agyapong floored Bawumia significantly in the primaries.
For some reasons, including the report of his wife hailing from the Volta Region, Kennedy Agyapong holds some level of influence in the region.
Owing to the Dam Spillage the SALL situation and voter registration, the government is not particularly popular in the region which makes Kennedy Agyapong an even more important source for Kennedy Agyapong.
The NDC continues to have a stronghold on the Volta Region but with Kennedy Agyapong partnering Bawumia, the NPP could pull a sizeable number of votes that will help their overall performance.
For the Central Region, Kennedy Agyapong has demonstrated that he has a hold over his people and appointing him as running mate could help the NPP win a region where they lost massively in 2020.
Give Bawumia national appeal
Bawumia will be representing the northern regions of the country while Kennedy Agyapong, if appointed as running mate, will be representing at least three of the southern regions – Central, Greater Accra and Ashanti-.
He is from Assin Dompem in the Central Region, grew up in Kumasi – Ashanti Region and has business interests in the Greater Accra Region.
His numbers from those regions, in the NPP primaries speak for themselves.
Having him on the ticket gives Bawumia nationwide balance and appeal and not just a Northern cum Ashanti appeal.
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