NPP constituency chairman fumes over 'imposition' of running mate on Dr. Bawumia

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) chairman for the Juaben constituency, Alex Sarfo has alleged that Ashanti regional constituency chairmen have been pressured to sign a petition endorsing Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, as the running mate for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

He said the current happenings in the party regarding the selection of a running mate are needless and strange in the history of the NPP.

"Since I became chairman, I have never encountered a situation where chairmen are supposed to endorse a candidate as a running mate. Never in my life as an NPP member have I seen such a scenario where the selection of a running mate should be based on the endorsement of party chairmen."

Speaking in an interview on Okay FM on April 9, 2024, Kantanka revealed that he was offered the opportunity to sign the petition along with other constituency chairmen but he chose to abstain from the process.

“Whoever would be mentioned, we will support the person. There is no one that I, as the Juaben constituency chairman, will reject should he be named. We will all support whoever comes. So, let us follow the due process and select the running mate,” he said.

He stated that he could not fathom why leaders within the party would try to impose a running mate on the party’s flagbearer Dr Bawumia.

“In 2016, a similar instance happened in the Ashanti region, and certain chairmen were suspended. So why should we interfere in the party’s affairs? Why should chairmen elect vice presidents? What changed? That is why I am worried, and I didn’t join them. And also, make this public for people to know.

“In our party’s constitution, our flagbearer is supposed to choose who he wants and present the person to the national council; then they would confirm the person. So, if we do this, then we are destroying the party.

“Sometimes I sit down and ask myself, is it because Dr. Bawumia is not an Akan person, that’s why he is facing this kind of pressure? Because nobody forced President Kufour to choose his running mate, nobody forced Nana Akufo-Addo to choose a particular candidate.

“So, why is it that Bawumia is being forced to choose a particular candidate? Why? Do we like him at all as we claim and will we be able to help him?” he added.

AM/KOD

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