The flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is having a severe headache over who to choose to partner with him for the crucial 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections, George Justice Arthur has said.
Even before the introduction of a prominent woman of excellence, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, as the running mate of the Opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), the camp of the Vice President has been under intense pressure from suitors whose names have reportedly been pencilled in to partner with him on his electoral journey.
With tribal affiliation, monetary considerations, and the top mark for the would-be candidate, influence peddling and social hyping have dominated the strategies of the potentials, whose appetite has been whetted by the igneous desire of loyalists, choreographing the deep crack in the party ahead of the 2024 battle.
Justice, who is the Constituency Secretary of Cape Coast South NDC, indicated that at the forefront of the running mate, list are two top appointees of the government, namely Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, and Energy Minister, Dr. Opoku Prempeh (popularly called NAPO).
Also strongly in the race is the first female Chief of Staff, Frema Opare, whose insatiable desire for power has been unhidden since her appointment.
And as time runs out for Dr. Bawumia to make the choice, so have the candidates intensified their lobbying, and in some cases making silly efforts to catch the eyes of the flagbearer.
The desire of Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, to secure the running mate slot has sparked controversy, with allegations of tactics veering towards desperation. The Bosomtwi Member of Parliament (MP) finds himself in a subdued showdown with his former boss, NAPO, who is now heading the Energy Ministry, and two others.
The recent move by the Ministry of Education to introduce new school uniforms to basic school students has been viewed as an attention-grabbing strategy. Rather than addressing underlying challenges in the education sector, such as delayed grant payments, insufficient resources, and substandard facilities, the Minister has been championing cosmetic changes without consultation, which have been tagged with allegations of corruption.
Dr. Opoku Prempeh:
The suddenly rich Energy Minister is reportedly lavishing in unexplained wealth, with his affluent lifestyle giving traces to many corruption allegations hanging on the Energy Ministry and its subsidiaries. He is said to be offering huge financial support for the running mate slot. With Manhyia said to be heavily canvassing for him, he wouldn’t have to explain how he acquired his $15 million mansion overlooking the capital to many of his party folks, who suspect corruption as the source of his wealth. The Energy Ministry has become a major source of stress to the government, including power outages, and the sale of age-old national assets like the Volta River Authority, GRIDCO, and ECG. But Dr Bawumia reportedly has few options left for him in the running mate choice and may have to overlook all the baggage of NAPO to make progress in his campaign calendar.
Frema Opare:
The Chief of Staff position comes with a heavy purse and weight, as she is the senior prefect of all the President’s appointees. Hence, when the chances for the running mate position have been reduced to money, influence, tribal origin, and gender, she is the most qualified. But Frema has no appeal beyond her party’s walls, and even within the NPP, she has several critics who cannot see what she could add to Dr Bawumia’s ticket. Having served as the first female Chief of Staff, she is said to have gained enormous experience in manoeuvring tough terrains. For a party that is divided on many fronts with others even breaking away, she might come in handy in stabilizing the party as the going gets tough.
The heightened competition and reported tension between the contenders have added an element of uncertainty to the selection process, with financial influence and political manoeuvring playing pivotal roles. As the selection timeline tightens, all eyes remain on Dr. Bawumia, as the potential announcement of his running mate for the upcoming election looms.
By Lawrence Odoom/newsalertgh.com
