The race to choose the flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is heating up though the party's presidential primaries is slated for the first half of 2023.
The race currently appears to be between Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Trade and Industry Minister
Read full articlehref='/GhanaHomePage/people/person.php?ID=169'>Alan Kyerematen, although persons including Assin North Member of Parliament (MP) Kennedy Agyapong and Food and Agriculture Minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto have all indicated their intention to contest in the party's flagbearership race.
The party's current national leadership has urged members to avoid endorsing anyone who has shown intent on leading the party in the December 2024 elections. But this warning appears to have fallen on death's ears, with some leaders of the party openly declaring their support for some aspirants (particularly for either Bawumia or Alan) while others have gone ahead to organise rallies to show their support.
The strong support being shown for Alan and Bawumia has created fears of a division within the party which has led to some people suggesting that the NPP should work to make them their presidential and vice presidential candidates for the upcoming election.
GhanaWeb looks at some top NPP members who have called for an Alan/Bawumia ticket, including the person they want to be the substantive leader and the reason they gave for their choice.
Bawumia-Alan ticket would be our best bet for 2024 - Freddie Blay
The former National Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, was pushing for an Alan-Bawumia ticket even when he was the chairman of the party.
According to the former chairman, there are private conversations ongoing among the top hierarchy of the party to see how they can unite the duo to defeat the opposition NDC in the elections.
In the view of the former Ellembele Member of Parliament, although all aspirants vying for the position have the capabilities to secure victory for the party, a Bawumia-Alan ticket would, however, be the best bet for the NPP in seeking to break the 8.
Speaking with the morning show host of Oyerepa Breakfast Time on Oyerepa TV and monitored by GhanaWeb, Freddie Blay observed that uniting the two will bring the needed unity the party needs going into the crucial 2024 elections.
"Almost all the candidates are capable of beating John Mahama in 2024. But I am thinking of a combination of two of them (Alan-Bawumia). I would have preferred Alan and Bawumia combination - that won't be bad; it may do the trick for us.
"We've been indirectly in our private moments discussing how to unite Alan and Bawumia. Left to me, a combination will be the best for our party. It will bring total unity as we desire," he told Oyerepa TV's Kwesi Parker-Wilson.
NPP should look at Bawumia/Alan running a single ticket – Nana Akomea
One of the first leading NPP members to propose a Bawumia/Alan ticket is former communications director of the party and former Communication Minister Nana Akomea.
Akomea explained that his position is backed by the fact that they both satisfy the North/South criteria. On who should be the flagbearer and who should be the running mate, Nana Akomea said that should be subject to negotiations between the two camps.
"So, for the NPP, you've seen that there is a tradition of having a geographical balance on the presidential ticket; that has been the history of the party.
"What I will strongly like to see and will be very much happy to be part of the process is to have an engagement with the two main people so we can have a single ticket. Negotiate, look at concessions and offers that can be made and have a single ticket," he said on Accra-based Metro TV.
Akomea also indicated that if the party, after the National Delegates Conference, sets its mind on it, the party will most likely avoid the flagbearer contest. He noted that should the contest go on, it will certainly bring division to the political party, and that will be worrying for the party that intends to break the eight.
Apart from the division that the race for flagbearership will bring to the party, Nana Akomea believes that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Alan Kyerematen running on a single ticket will help cut costs.
'Flagbearer' Bawumia, Alan as vice – Atta Akyea calls for consensus to 'Break the 8'
Another stalwart of the party who has called for a Bawumai/Alan ticket for the 2024 elections is the MP for Abuakwa South and former Works and Housing Minister Samuel Atta Akyea, who, for his part, indicated who should be flagbearer and who should be running mate.
In his view, the party should stick with Dr. Bawumia as flagbearer and Alan Kyerematen as his vice-presidential candidate.
Making submissions on Accra-based Asempa FM, Atta Akyea said he was of the strong view that the pairing would save the party money and also engender unity ahead of the keenly awaited polls.
"I hold on very strongly to that view because, in these times, we have no luxury of wasting money and (threat of) disunity. We have been warned by the party (not to make such open declarations)," he stated.
Atta Akyea enumerated the relationship he had with each of the prospective candidates vying for the slot, "All these people are people of prestige and capacity…
"…but in my view, if today NPP says you shouldn't be a permanent mate and that he should graduate into a driver, and thus, we perm Hon Bawumia with Hon Alan Kyerematen, I am telling you that God will have mercy on us to 'break the eight.'
Alan-Bawumia ticket is worth consideration – John Boadu
Former General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu, also indicated his approval of an Alan/Bawumia ticket when he was an executive of the party.
Responding to the suggestion of an Alan/Bawumia ticket on Okay FM's Ade Akye Abia morning show, John Boadu tagged the idea as worth considering.
According to John Boadu, it remains early days to decide who will lead the party in 2024, but he was emphatic in adding that the party remains open to any idea that feeds into its desire to remain in power.
"The party needs a unified front for the 2024 general elections, and we will consider any proposal which will enable us win the elections, and just as you have said, it is too early to put it into discussion," he said.
"We are currently organising all our elections, and we will put the Bawumia-Alan ticket into proper perspective once the coast is cleared, but for now, we will have to consider the party's internal elections first," he added.
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Leading NPP members
