Bawumia's disclaimer, a mark of respect and good leadership

The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on Wednesday, March 25, issued a statement on the proliferation of his posters across the country promoting him as the 2024 Flagbearer for the NPP.

In the succinct statement, the Vice President stated that he has not given his consent to the development. More strikingly, he reiterated his focus on assisting the President in the execution of his agenda to transform Ghana.

As a political communication analyst, I find Dr Bawumia's statement timely, mature, patriotic and one that underlines his loyalty to the government, as well as his leadership qualities.

Spontaneous affection and activities in favour of political leaders ahead of contests, especially internal, are not new in our political history, and they are normally uncontrollable, even by the person in whose favour the activities are organised.

And considering the fact that certain individuals also pay and engineer such moves in their favour as a response to the organic support of their opponents, Vice President Bawumia has to be applauded for his bold move to issue a statement.

Critical analyses of the widespread and spontaneous declarations and activities for Dr Bawumia by members of the NPP across the country, clearly reveal his popularity and voluntary nature of these campaigns.

The truth is that it will be extremely difficult, and almost impossible for Dr Bawumia to completely stop these voluntary display of affection and confidence in him by grassroots members of his party, but for him to come out to reassure the rank and file of the NPP, and Ghanaians in general about his focus to assist the President to realise his transformational agenda is highly commendable. It will, most certainly, also reassure the President, that his most trusted ally, his deputy, is focused and firmly behind him to achieve his vision for the country.

A few of those who voluntarily engineered these political moves in favour of Bawumia may not be happy. But what the Vice President has done is a selfless act and a mark of true leadership, which has given meaning to their absolute confidence in him.

As I have said earlier, such voluntary, spontaneous movements are unstoppable in our political history and nobody can stop the latest political movement within the NPP for Dr Bawumia.

Nobody could stop the wave in favour of Kufuor and the wave for Nana Akufo-Addo was unstoppable! History is gravitating towards Dr Bawumia and it will be absolutely impossible to stop the movement in his favour.

Surely, Dr Bawumia is focused on helping the President to achieve the government's transformational vision for Ghana, as he rightly said in his statement, but the truth is that even he, can't stop the Bawumia tide.

It is a genuine and natural confidence in him being expressed spontaneously and voluntarily by the rank and file of his party.

President Kufuor couldn't! Nana Akufo-Addo couldn't. Certainly, Dr Bawumia can't!

The Vice President has done his part by showing strong leadership and reminding all that there is a country to govern and there is a second term vision to achieve.

The party rank and file, as some have already indicated immediately after his disclaimer became public, will also do their best by reminding everyone who their trusted heir apparent should be.