Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has disclosed that he attempted to get two NPP flagbearer hopefuls, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Alan Kyerematen, to agree on who leads the party into the 2024 elections.
According to him, he had suggested that the governing NPP decide on presenting the Vice President as the flagbearer and the former Trade Minister as his deputy or vice-versa.
He was of the belief that teaming up would have done the party a lot of good and provided an easy avenue for the NPP to lead Ghana by breaking the eight-year cycle.
“So I started some discussions. I went to Kojo Mpiani, who I know to be one of the key supporters of Alan. I said, ‘Look, we’ll be heading towards 2024. This is my thinking’. He suggested that we should have some research done. And he even said that we shouldn’t be limited to just one,” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.
The Majority Leader added that Mr Mpiani also asked that they seek the counsel of former President Kufour.
He noted that the former head of state advised, “We should follow the trend of elections and let the delegates decide. So, we are where we are now.”
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu admitted that although he believes reaching a consensus is beneficial, it will be tough to implement it, especially since the candidates have already picked forms to contest for the flagbearership position of the political party.
Ten individuals have already picked nomination forms to contest for the flagbearer position of the NPP.
Alan Kyerematen is the only aspirant who has already filed his nomination after picking up the forms.
The other nine individuals who are contesting the position are the former Agric Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto; Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia; former MP for Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimoh; former Railways and Development Minister, Joe Ghartey and former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko.
Others are former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong; Energy Analyst, Kwadwo Poku; two-time presidential aspirant, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku; and MP, Assin Central Kennedy Agyapong.
