Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the 2024 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), is facing fierce criticism from key political figures following his attempts to explain the party’s defeat in the December 7, 2024 general election.
Dr. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, former Government Spokesperson on Governance and Security under the Akufo-Addo administration, has accused Dr. Bawumia of opportunistically trying to distance himself from the administration’s failures.
He argued that as Vice President, Bawumia had both the platform and the responsibility to voice dissent or influence policy but chose not to, only to later claim opposition when it suited his political ambitions.
“This selective distancing extends to the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), which caused widespread financial distress, including protests by pensioners,” Dr. Boakye-Danquah stated.
He further criticized Bawumia’s failure to publicly address the DDEP’s devastating impact on Ghanaians, saying it “reeks of opportunism and undermines the administration’s collective accountability.”
Dr. Boakye-Danquah also lambasted Bawumia for attempting to shift blame for severe economic hardships, such as the skyrocketing cost of living and soaring petrol prices—reportedly increased just three days before the election—onto President Akufo-Addo’s leadership.
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“His attempt to shift blame for economic hardships…is particularly disloyal,” Boakye-Danquah added.
During his Thank You Tour, Bawumia attributed the NPP’s electoral loss to several factors, including the arrogance of power, the high cost of living, the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy), failure to reshuffle government officials, and the unpopular “haircut” policy under the IMF-backed debt restructuring programme. He noted that these contributed to widespread discontent among the electorate.
However, Dr. Boakye-Danquah’s comments were echoed by Dr. Omane Boamah, current Minister for Defence.
In a social media post, Dr. Boamah sharply criticized Dr. Bawumia’s narrative, accusing him of refusing to take responsibility for the NPP’s economic mismanagement.
“Elections 2024: Bawumia is blaming everything & everybody EXCEPT HIMSELF. Bawumia was critical for NPP’s economic mess!” Dr. Boamah wrote.
The growing backlash from within and outside the party reflects rising tensions over the future of the NPP as it seeks to recover from the painful defeat and reposition itself for future political battles.
