The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Divine Otoo Agorhom, has said, left to him alone, Vice-President, should become the next flag bearer of the party in the 2024 polls.
He argued that, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia be partnered by any of the other frontrunners in the race such as Trades Minister, Alan Kyerematen or Agric Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, as running mate.
Mr Agorhom, appears not alone with his position as many in the ruling party feel the NPP must learn from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) which allows its running mates to rise to the presidency.
This was the case for the late President John Evans Atta Mills, while President Jerry John Rawlings was exiting office after finishing his mandatory terms as the first President of the Fourth Republic.
John Dramani Mahama, also naturally ascended to the office of President, following the death of Prof. Mills in 2012, serving for a term of office until he was defeated in the 2016 election by the incumbent President Nana Akufo-Addo.
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The NDC’s natural rise which has seen people from different ethnic groups has not worked for the NPP which is battling to shed its Akan-only label.
The party has since its formation been led by Akans from either the Ashanti Region or the Akyem area.
At the time of finding a flagbearer for the NPP in 2007, many were surprised that ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor, did not want his then Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama to replace him as flag bearer and Presidential candidate, despite the knowledge and expertise acquired by Alui Mahama, who died in November 2012.
Mr Kufuor, chose Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng; half Fante and half Asante to lead the NPP, but was defeated by Mr Akufo-Addo, whose replacement with another Akan will spell doom for the ruling party as minority tribes in the party will feel they don’t have a place in it, although the bulk of the work is done by them.
The Greater Accra Regional NPP Chairman is of the view that his party can make an arrangement to have Vice-President Bawumia as flagbearer, if the leadership so wishes, but was quick to add that since the NPP is a democratic party, it will go to Congress to elect a flag bearer among the lot.
Mr Agorhom told Kwame Obeng Sarkodie on Accra100.5FM’s morning show Ghana Yensom in an interview on Friday, March 18, 2022 that: “We have an obvious” choice as flagbearer.
But “as a party, we practice competitive elections and no one person can be made an heir to the exiting president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, so, we will go to Congress for the highest decision-making body of the party to take a decision on who leads the party for the next elections”.
He argued that historically, no one has been Vice-President twice to two different presidents and, so, it was obvious for a Vice-President to ascend to the presidency.
