The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong has asked the other flagbearer hopefuls of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to withdraw from the contest for Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to be endorsed as the presidential candidate for election 2024.
In the view of the Abetifi MP, the outcome of last Saturday’s Super Delegates’ Conference is a cue that cannot be ignored by serious politicians.
He said Dr Bawumia’s overwhelming victory proves the spirit of the party is behind him in the current scheme of things.
Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen on Tuesday, August 29, the outspoken politician insisted that any candidate who withdraws in the interest of the party will be remembered by the party faithful.
“I am an extremely rational human being and for me, if you look at what happened last Saturday in the Super Delegates’ Conference, the November 4 election is not necessary. It is done, and I especially would be grateful to any candidate who decides to withdraw because of the time and the potential acrimony that may come up. This wasn’t much of a contest because if you look at the gap in percentages, the November 4 exercise will be a fruitless exercise.”
“The NPP has a spirit and it’s inevitable that Dr Bawumia will win massively. My wish is for all the other aspirants to withdraw and save the party all the stress and they will be remembered.”
About Super Delegates’ Conference
The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, came first in the New Patriotic Party’s Super Delegates’ Congress.
The congress was organised to elect five presidential aspirants to contest the party’s primaries in November this year.
This was after 10 candidates picked up forms to contest the central presidential primaries scheduled for November 4.
After the collation of 17 out of the 17 polling centres across the country, the Vice President came out on top with 68.15% of the total votes cast, followed by the MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong who garnered 14.3% of the total votes cast.
Former Trades Minister, Alan Kyerematen came third with 10.29% of the total votes cast, and former Agric Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto came fourth with 3.90%.
There was however a tie as Francis Addai Nimoh and former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, both got 0.98 percent of the total votes cast.
Bawumia thanks NPP delegates for ‘overwhelming endorsement’
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has thanked the delegates of the NPP for his emphatic victory.
He said the emphatic endorsement by the party faithful humbles him.
Addressing the media at his residence in Accra on Saturday, Dr Bawumia commended the leadership of the party, the Electoral Commission, and the entire NPP family for the smooth conduct of the polls.
He called for hard work and unity in the party to ensure a resounding victory in the main November 4 election, and subsequently in the 2024 general election.
