Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, has denied lobbying to become Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s running mate if the current Vice President is elected as Flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2024 election.
In the past few days, there’s been a list of possible running mates for Dr Bawumia circulating in the media.
The list includes the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Energy, Dr Mathew Opoku-Prempeh and the Majority Leader, Osei-Kyei Mensah Bonsu.
But speaking on Kumasi-based Abusua FM, the MP, who’s also Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, stated that though he aspires to get to the highest political office like most politicians, he’s not persuading anyone to make him the running mate.
“Every police officer, after recruitment and subsequent passing out from training, aspires to become Inspector General of Police (IGP). So, when the opportunity comes, I will accept it but I’m not lobbying Dr Bawumia for that. That’s not the reason I’m supporting Dr Bawumia in the contest, but it is because of what I have seen in him’’.
He added: ”Yesterday, somebody reached out to me that they have heard that Dr Bawumia is creating division between myself, Dr. Mathew Opoku-Prempeh (NAPO), and Dr Yaw Adutwum over this running mate and I laughed over it. Because I know nobody can lobby for that position because a lot of factors go into it.”
The Suame MP continued: ”I noticed this contest between Dr Bawumia and Alan long ago and I knew it would create unhealthy completion for the party, so I wanted us to build consensus from behind in selecting the flagbearer and the running mate but unfortunately it didn’t work that’s why we are where we are today.”
He revealed that he didn’t support the re-appointment of Dr Bawumia going into 2012 general election as the running mate of Nana Akufo-Addo.
“Because I know he didn’t help the party in terms of the votes we got from the Northern region he comes from, but the then Flagbearer gave me a convincing justification for his re-appointment, and as we speak, we all know the role he played from 2012–2016 general elections, and with the current digitalization drive, it will shock you the amount of revenue the drive has generated for the country now. This is the person I believe, given the opportunity, will do wonders with his professional expertise with the support of other members of the party,’’ he added.
He explained that although the Christian community makes up the majority of Ghana’s population, the constitution also recommends considerable religious and ethnic group balance.
“So, we have a Christian Majority and a Muslim minority, we can’t always use the Islamic group and the Northerners as running mates. We must balance the system. I’m a Christian, but I think Dr Bawumia must be given the chance.”
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