The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is also the lead contender in Saturday’s flag-bearer contest of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), says he identifies more with the grassroots than being classified as an establishment candidate.
The Vice President said this on Thursday, November 2, 2023 in Accra, during an engagement with journalists to announce the end of his nationwide campaign.
According to him, one of the factors he expects to work in his favour tomorrow is his closeness with the grassroots, something he said many of his competitors do not have.
“You get to a place and someone will bring you a picture you took in 2008 and tell you that this is us together. So, I have this affinity with the grassroots of the party. Basically, this is one of the reasons why I believe I am more of a grassroots’ candidate than an establishment candidate. And that will come through, I believe, on Saturday,” he indicated.
He explained that about 98% of the delegates are from the grassroots, who are the electoral area coordinators and polling station executives, stating that the election was going to be a simple test of what the grassroots think about all the candidates.
“I believe that my relationship with the grassroots over the years has been a 15-year relationship. We’ve gone through the ups and downs of the party. But the bottom line is that I believe I’m more popular with the grassroots than with the establishment. That, I want to see, come through on Saturday,” he remarked.
NARRATIVES
These comments from Dr. Bawmia addressed speculations that the Akufo-Addo government was pushing for him to lead the party.
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was compelled to refute the allegations that the government machinery was supporting the candidature of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to become the next leader of the party.
The President, who had met party communicators in August at Jubilee House, said that those allegations were “false and malicious narratives.”
CONTRIBUTION
Speaking to journalists at the informal gathering in his Cantonments residence yesterday, Dr. Bawumia said that during his campaign, he told the delegates about how hard he had worked for the NPP and government, since the year 2001.
He mentioned his work towards the successful HIPC initiative, the redenomination of the cedi and the groundbreaking presidential election petition in 2013.
He also mentioned the lectures he gave, highlighting the state of the Ghanaian economy leading up to the 2016 elections, his work in digitalisation and its transformational effects on the economy and so on.
ENDORSEMENT
Majority of the delegates of the ruling NPP are said to overwhelmingly endorse the candidacy of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia tomorrow.
The Chronicle has gathered that sources within the party have projected that the lead contender in presidential primary, Dr. Bawumia, will secure not less than 80% of the total valid votes cast.
Over 200,000 delegates are to vote tomorrow in the NPP Presidential Primary election to select one of the four contenders, including Ken Agyapong, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Francis Addai Nimoh.
Already, several election surveys have projected Dr. Bawumia to carry the day, with over 70% of the votes and Ken Agyapong coming after him, while Dr. Akoto Afriyie and Addai Nimoh are feeding on something meager.
In a recent poll conducted by Outcomes International, Ghana and the Centre for Sustainable African Development Initiatives (C-SADI), UK, of polling station executives across all 16 regions in Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is projected to secure a commanding 80.8% of the delegates’ votes.
VISION
Meanwhile, Dr. Bawumia, who is confident of victory tomorrow, informed journalists that he would outline vividly his vision to better the lives of Ghanaians.
He based his confidence on what he described as a “spirited campaign” that he and the team embarked upon across the country.
He said, “Having put up a spirited campaign backed by a dedicated team of brilliant and hardworking young men and women across the country, I have nothing but absolute confidence that I will be victorious on Saturday, November 4th. And my victory will be the victory for the NPP.
“After this, I will shortly, through you the media, outline in vivid detail the great vision and plans I have to better the lives of all of us Ghanaians. Today, this informal meeting is to allow me to thank you, the media, over a few drinks and bread, and to seek your active engagement from Saturday and beyond,” Dr. Bawumia concluded.
