A group within the New Patriotic Party (NPP), known as the Patriotic Movement for Bawumia, has advocated for the autonomy of Dr. Mahammudu Bawumia, the party’s flagbearer, in selecting his running mate for the upcoming presidential election.

This group, comprising NPP executives, grassroots members, and non-party individuals staunchly supporting Dr. Bawumia, has stressed the importance of respecting his freedom to choose a running mate without undue influence.

They have raised concerns about various factions within the party attempting to pressure Dr. Bawumia into selecting their preferred candidates through tactics such as press conferences, persistent delegations, petitions, and aggressive statements in the media.

The Patriotic Movement for Bawumia has criticized these actions, suggesting that they undermine Dr. Bawumia’s leadership and autonomy.

They argue that, such pressure tactics reflect a lack of confidence in Dr. Bawumia’s ability to independently decide on his running mate and could ultimately harm the party’s electoral prospects.

Encouraging Dr. Bawumia to uphold his reputation as a decisive leader with a clear vision, the group advises him to select a running mate based on merit and suitability for the role.

They caution against succumbing to the pressures of specific party factions, citing past instances in Ghanaian political history where such concessions led to electoral setbacks for political parties.

In essence, the Patriotic Movement for Bawumia urges Dr. Bawumia to assert his autonomy and leadership by choosing a running mate whom he believes will best complement his candidacy in the 2024 presidential race.

”We are humbly advising our flag-bearer, His Excellency Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia not to allow any individual or groups, to compel him or lure him into choosing a running mate against his actual or real choice. Allowing yourself to be manipulated in this manner has dire consequences on the party’s victory in this year’s presidential election”.

According to the group, the party risks suffering from serious disunity and long-standing cracks in her rank and file should the flag-bearer, for any reason, permit the pressure being mounted on him by the people in the party as well as their hired political analysts and campaigners, to coerce him to select a running mate from their camps, just to satisfy their selfish interests at the expense of the NPP’s victory in the 2024 presidential election.

The group during a news conference in Kumasi added that “It is sad to note that the NPP members who must have been vigorously campaigning for our flag-bearer, are at this crucial moment, busily exerting all their energies on adopting various diabolic strategies to force a running mate on Dr. Bawumia. This is absurd and must be condemned by all persons who mean well for the party.”

The statement further posed the question, ”Now, the problem we have at hand is, if our flag-bearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia chooses any of the people being forced on him by groups and individuals, through press conferences with threats, deliberate media interviews, campaigning flyers, delegations to him, etc, how would the other factions and neutral members of the party feel, react and respond to the announcement of such a choice?”

The group which has a membership including top NPP constituency, and regional and national executives, has also cautioned people who have interests in becoming the running mate to Dr. Bawumia, to refrain from sponsoring groups and individuals or employing tactics that are alien to the NPP’s modus operandi, just to forcefully cause the flag-bearer to consider any of them as the running mate for this year’s election.

”Some of the people whose names have popped up as being interested in being Dr. Bawumia’s running mate have been accused of sponsoring people to hold press conferences and sign petitions to forcefully cause our flag-bearer, Dr. Bawumia make them his running mate. This childish modus, and odd way of operating in the NPP, if true, must be condemned in no uncertain terms. Selecting a running mate is the prerogative of the flag-bearer, and under no circumstance must he or she be made to choose a running mate under duress. Furthermore, this weak means of getting a person to become a running mate, has never been the NPP’s style; it is too disgracing and must cease forthwith”, the group cautioned.

They further advised that characters who are hell-bent on forcing a candidate on Dr Bawumia should not make the situation in his time appear different from those of his predecessors.

They further posited that NPP flag-bearers have always had the liberty and power to choose their preferred running mates and that the status quo must not be changed during Dr Bawumia’s era since he is the leader of the party, he must be allowed to lead.

In a scathing criticism, the group, respectfully, declared that they were not pleased with the recent ‘sponsored declaration’ for a particular person who is known to have declared serious interest in being the running mate to Dr. Bawumia.

The group has therefore appealed to the NPP’s flagbearer to disregard any such endorsements that might have come now, in the past, or in the future.

“Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia ‘is his own man’, let us allow him to select someone he has tested and finds capable of helping him lead the NPP to break the eight and consequently directing the next NPP government to continue to bring the needed development for our beloved country, Ghana”, the group added.

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