 to vote massively for former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in Saturday’s presidential primary.){kind=link}
The Member of Parliament for Bantama and former Minister for Roads and Highways, Francis Asenso Boakye, has called on delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to vote massively for former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in Saturday’s presidential primary.
According to Mr Asenso Boakye, an overwhelming majority of NPP supporters across the country favour Dr Bawumia to lead the party into the 2028 general elections, and delegates must therefore align their votes with the will of the party’s grassroots.
Addressing delegates and party members in the Bantama Constituency on Monday, the MP said his extensive interactions with party faithful nationwide point to strong and consistent support for the former Vice President.
“Having visited many parts of the country and interacted with party members, it is clear that Dr Bawumia is the one the people want,” he said, urging delegates to avoid what he described as a costly mistake.
Recounting personal encounters, Mr Asenso Boakye said calls for Dr Bawumia’s retention were widespread.
“The other weekend, I attended about four funerals, and at each of them people were calling for Dr Bawumia. They warned me that our delegates should not make a mistake and not elect him,” he stated.
He added that similar sentiments were expressed during a church service.
“I was in church too, and a Methodist Bishop called me aside and said we should be very careful and not make the mistake of replacing Dr Bawumia. That is what everybody is saying,” he noted.
Mr Asenso Boakye praised Dr Bawumia’s intellect, humility and vision, explaining that his endorsement was based on careful analysis rather than sentiment.
“I am not a sentimental politician. I analyse well and I go to where the majority of the people want,” he said.
The Bantama MP also pointed to Ghana’s political tradition of retaining presidential candidates who have already been introduced and marketed to the electorate, especially when the main opposition is presenting a new candidate.
“We all know that none of the leading political parties in Ghana makes the mistake of replacing a presidential candidate who has already been marketed to Ghanaians,” he said.
He cited past examples, noting that the NPP retained former Presidents J.A. Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after their initial bids, while the National Democratic Congress (NDC) also maintained Professor John Evans Atta Mills and former President John Dramani Mahama.
According to Mr Asenso Boakye, with both popular support and historical precedent favouring Dr Bawumia, it would be “the most unwise decision” for the NPP not to retain him as its flagbearer for 2028.
“I have gone to so many places in Ghana and spoken to so many people. The party across the country has decided to retain Dr Mahamudu Bawumia,” he said.
He concluded by urging delegates in Bantama to be part of what he described as a decisive moment for the party by voting overwhelmingly for Dr Bawumia in Saturday’s primary.