The selection of the running mate for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has sparked intense competition among New Patriotic Party Members of Parliament.
Several names have emerged as potential candidates, including Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Joseph Osei-Owusu, and Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum.
In an interview with JoyNews’ Evans Mensah, First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu expressed his support for selecting a running mate from the Ashanti region. He believes that this is the best strategy for the party to secure victory in the 2024 general election.
“It is generally agreed in the party that if Bawumia wins, his running mate should come from the Ashanti region,” he said. Asked whether Dr Bawumia has consented to that agreement, he replied “I think so.”
The First Deputy Speaker said he believes the perfect candidate for the position should have some values such as integrity, the person who commands respect in and out of the party to complement that of the new leader.
According to him, even though the candidates mentioned so far to be jostling for the position meet the criteria, “they aren’t the only group of people who are eligible to be nominated and I think that the field is wide.”
Asked why he is taking himself out of the equation although rumoured to be a candidate, he said: “I think that we should allow the man the space to look at the whole game board and select.”
“I agree that the person must come from the Ashanti region because, in our party’s dynamics, it would help a lot to select from the Ashanti region,” he said.
The candidate emphasized that choosing someone from the Ashanti region would show “the people in the region that the party appreciates their significant role in the party.”
On the other hand, Sammi Awuku from the Bawumia campaign team dismissed claims that Dr. Bawumia is already thinking about his running mate for the 2024 elections. During an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story on Monday, November 7, he mentioned that the Vice President is taking his time to decide on his running mate.
According to him, Dr Bawumia is an extremely analytical person and consults broadly on issues, and so “he would be taking the views of people he knows and when he is ready, when the time comes, he would pick the right man.”
“For now, let me issue a disclaimer. The Vice President has not discussed with any member of his inner team or bigger team about his choice that he would be recommending to the National Council,” he clarified.
“For now, let me issue a disclaimer. The Vice President has not discussed with any member of his inner team or bigger team about his choice that he would be recommending to the National Council,” he clarified.
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