The Member of Parliament (MP) for Yendi, Farouk Aliu Mahama, has challenged delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to shed its “Akans only tag” by choosing the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, as the flagbearer of the party for the 2024 presidential elections.
For several years, the dominance of the Akan ethnic group in the ruling NPP has been used against the party in most political conversations.
This tag, according to Farouk Aliu Mahama, son of the late Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, insists it can be removed with only one decision.
The late Aliu Mahama, was snubbed in 2008 at the NPP flagbearer contest in Legon, for another Akan; Nana Akufo-Addo, although he had for eight years served as the number two man to then President John Agyekum Kufuor.
Quite shockingly, President Kufuor had supported, Alan Kyerematen to succeed him. He gave him everything including money and access assets like vehicles and a presidential to travel across the country to the annoyance of other 16 contestants.
Farouk asserted that members of the NPP, particularly the delegates, should massively vote for Dr Mahamadu Bawumia to become the party’s next flagbearer.
Farouk, stressed this on Accra-based Happy FM, saying that would be the only way to shame their critics and prove a point to Ghanaians that the NPP is a welcoming party of all tribes, not only Akans.
According to him, choosing Bawumia as the NPP’s presidential candidate will help break the notion that the NPP, as a party, discriminates.
“It is time for us to make sure that we clean up the perception that the NPP is for a few. The NPP is for everybody.
“We now want to work in a way that shows that the NPP is a party that accepts all. And Bawumia is the unifying person we can use to show that we accept every person,” he said.
According to him, humble Bawumia “will bring Northerners, Akans, Ewes, everybody together.
He is a humble person, and he will be a listening president. Also, with his economic background, he will move the country to a different level.”
The MP added that leading figures in the NPP have realized that it is time to show Ghanaians that the party is for all people and not just a selected few.
The ruling party is currently “struggling” to form a consensus on the exact date to organize its primary elections after several meetings.
On standby waiting to contest for the flagbearership slot are the former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, Assin Central MP Ken Agyapong, Vice President Dr.Mahamudu Bawumia, who has yet to make it official, the former Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, ex-Mampong MP, Francis Addai-Nimoh, and ex-Regional Cooperation Minister, Dr Kofi Konadu Apreku, and others
