‘I Swear Gad, It’s A Real’ SHOWDOWN …Bawumia leads, calls for unity

It is interesting how two new comers in presidential candidate race of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) rather emerged as the two leading candidates with the highest number of votes at the Super Delegates Conference held last Saturday to short list the number of presidential candidate hopefuls from 10 to five.

A first-time entrant, Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia  won a landslide comfortable lead with 68.15 percent of all valid votes case at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) while his closest competitor, Kennedy Agyapong gathered 132 votes to represent 14.3 percent.

Former Trades Minister, Alan Kyeremanten who is almost becoming a serial contender for the slot placed third with 95 votes representing 10.29.

His votes is a disappointing surprise considering the loud mountain top bragging his team have subjected Ghanaians to over the campaign period

Dr. Bawumia’s margin of lead has been interpreted as a reflection of the party’s wishes at the grassroots level considering the fact that a significant 701 delegates out of the total 961 which formed the Electoral College for the Super Delegates Conference are direct grassroots officials and members of the Party

It is expected that the voting trend witnessed last Saturday would be repeated at the November 4 nationwide presidential primaries to elect an actual flag-bearer from the top five that were selected by the Super Delegates.

The Super Delegates Electoral College of 961 which gave Dr. Bawumia the sweet 68 plus percent comprises of 275 constituency chairmen, 272 Regional executives, 137 Members of Parliament,, 17 National Chairmen and other such high-ranking party officers who have actually served and worked at the grassroots.

Even the delegates from the diaspora are all elected officers of the Party who handle the day to day running of party activities and deal directly with the grassroots members.

Call For Unity.

The Vice President, in an official address after the official declaration of the results, re-echoed the need for unity within the Governing party.

He indicated that internal party unity is the essential ingredient for 2024 victory of the party.

Dr. Bawumia  therefore urged his supporters to be moderate in their celebration of his victory . He noted that the party needs every member, especially those who have contested, to enable it take on the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 General Elections and win a third straight term ( break the eight).

The Vice President expressed confidence in winning the November 4, 2023 National Delegates Conference that will eventually select the flag-bearer.

The Vice President made the comments at his campaign office in Accra as he addressed supporters after his landslide victory, thanking them profusely for the support he has enjoyed from them.

“It will take more hard work. I want us to remember that the hard work is still ahead of us. We will have to win November 4. By the grace of God, we will win and win December 7, 2024.

“I think it is very important that we remain united as a party. Whilst we celebrate, let’s remain very conscious that we have to keep this party together. “All my colleagues who contested, everybody did well. We have to bring everyone together. So as we celebrate let’s mind our words. And let’s keep this party together because this is an internal matter. Once we finish we’ll bring everybody together and take on the NDC” he assured.

The November primaries will be a major test for Bawumia and Agyapong. They will need to win the support of over 200,000 delegates from across the country in order to become the NPP’s flag-bearer.

The winner of the primaries will then face off against the opposition National Democratic Congress’s John Dramani Mahama in the December 2024 general election.