NPP parliamentary primaries: We won’t protect any sitting MP – Wontumi

The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako also known as 'Chairman Wontumi' has disclosed that no Member of Parliament in the Ashanti region will be protected from being contested in the party’s February 2024 parliamentary primaries.

Speaking to Starr News after the party’s presidential primary, Chairman Wontumi said “The outcome of the election has given us a clearer picture of division in our party and during the election. This is because the Vice President didn’t get the votes we projected in the Ashanti and therefore, call upon us to mend every broken bridge for the battle ahead in 2024’’ he said.

He explained “The Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, our flagbearer, went for the contest; I Wontumi went for the contest and nearly lost to Odeneho Kwaku Appiah. Trust me no MP will be protected from the contest. That doesn’t also mean any member of the party who isn’t qualified to contest will be allowed to contest’’ he explained.

He added that “as the regional chairman of the party there are a lot of MP’s in Ashanti who are unpopular in their constituency. A lot of them have bad working relationships with the constituency executives. Yes, the party needs experienced parliamentarians to work for us but at the moment Chairman Wontumi and my regional executive can never save any of them from a contest. All they need to do is to do their homework very well to secure their next term in parliament before elections 2024. We will elect our parliamentary candidates through democratic means nothing more.”

The NPP presidential primary campaign activities by Kennedy Ohene Agyapong Member of Parliament for the Assin Central, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto former Kwadaso member of Parliament, Francis Addai Nimo former member of Parliament for Asante Mampong, and Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia flagbearer were dominated by personality attacks and verbal abuse which many political analysts have predicted is most likely to further deepen internal cracks in the party.

Wontumi therefore pleaded to the supporters of the various aspirants who contested in the party’s presidential primary to forgive each other and rally behind the party’s flagbearer Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia.