The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been on a regional tour to thank Ghanaians for their support in the 2024 general elections. The elections saw the NPP loosing with 41.75 percent.
One thing is clear from the tour. It appears Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia who led the NPP to defeat in the elections is likely going to be the one to lead them again going into the 2028 elections. Given that Dr. Bawumia is likely to be the flag bearer, it will sound proper to suggest that Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh popularly called Napo will maintain his position as running mate.
Dr. Bawumia has been vociferous in the “Thank you tour” but not much is heard of Napo. Though opponents of Dr. Bawumia in the NPP flag bearer race were offered the opportunity to address crowds, Napo was denied same. Napo should be deserving more opportunity to speak than Kennedy Agyapong and others.
Why is Napo not given the opportunity to address crowds? The answers were succinctly provided by Dr. Bawumia and we need not ask much. When Napo was announced as Dr. Bawumia’s deputy, many Ghanaians rejected him because he was seen as arrogant. The NPP parliamentary caucus did not also support his nomination despite he being one of them.
The declarations by the majority of Ghanaians that Napo was arrogant was flatly rejected by Dr. Bawumia and key decision makers in the NPP but now they seem to have concurd. Dr. Bawumia at the thank you tour in Takoradi stated, “When you study all the reports we have so far, certain factors were highlighted. These include the high cost of living; the prices of goods and services went up and left many Ghanaians struggling. Another factor that was highlighted is the arrogance of power, we were not willing to listen.”
He proceeded to assure that going forward, they are going to turn over a new leaf and listen to the voices of Ghanaians. Arrogance of power was one major factor that affected the NPP in their defeat and one of the biggest contributors is Napo. Napo was very reckless in his public engagements and evidence abounds.
So if the Dr. Bawumia says the NPP is going to give Ghanaians this time round a listening ear, that listening ear is first to address the arrogance of power concerns. This means that Napo’s name is going to be deleted from ever going to be considered for the high office of the vice president. No wonder Napo is not allowed to speak to any microphone.
But one important thing is not mentioned by Dr. Bawumia and I doubt if he will ever mention it. He did not say lies is also a contributory factor to their defeat. Ghanaians do not want an arrogant person to lead them but they equally do not want a lier to lead them as well.
Going forward, we will know if they truly have changed. But for now, one thing is certain, Napo must abandon his dream of ever becoming the Vice President of Ghana until he succeeds in convincing Ghanaians that he is a changed man.
