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The New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Saturday chose Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia as its candidate for the 2024 presidential ballot.
Bawumia obtained 118,210 votes representing 61.47%, beating his main contender Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, a Member of Parliament for Assin Central who obtained 71,996 votes representing 37.41%.
Bawumia, a former deputy central bank governor, had been widely touted by pollsters to win the NPP candidacy and face opposition National Democratic Congress candidate, ex-president John Dramani Mahama.
Bawumia had already won the first round of NPP voting and as the first Muslim candidate to lead the ethnic Akan and southern-dominated party, he had positioned himself to bridge some of Ghana’s regional divisions.
“It’s a victory for the rank and file of our great party and particularly to the grass root members. I am humbled and overwhelmed,” he said in his victory speech.
“We know that the NPP is the only party that can transform Ghana. The NPP will enter 2024 united and energised,” he added.
Bawumia described his election as the greatest honour of his life.
“…I, therefore, stand here with profound gratitude and humility, having received the greatest honour of my life, the victory is not mine but ours.
“The significance of this victory is not lost on me, I am humbled and overwhelmed… and on this historic day, I have been elected leader of the great NPP, this is just surreal, I thank God for how far he has brought me,” Bawumia said.
“I have always believed that with hard work, honesty, discipline and faith in God, one can fulfil one’s potential, it is possible,” he added.
Concession speech
Agyapong has urged supporters to rally behind the party to give the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) a showdown.
He said he is ready to help the NPP to retain power come 2024.
“I believe the party has been fair. This is what I’ve been always preaching… I pledge my support that we are going to work tirelessly to break the 8. So, we should put everything behind us.
“With unity, I believe we can break the 8…I want to assure you that in 2024 the showdown is being transferred to the NDC. We have to work together to give the NDC a showdown,” Agyapong added.
For his part, President Akufo-Addo says he believes Bawumia will provide a strong leadership that will take on the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 elections.
The president urged the supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to unite behind the new flagbearer to win the upcoming election.
Speaking at the outdooring of the new flagbearer at the Accra Sports Stadium, Akufo-Addo said, “Everything went very well today, very transparent and peaceful…sixteen years of work for the party in opposition and in government has been rewarded by the party by this leadership has been conferred on you.”
“I’m confident that Mahamudu Bawumia would be able to unite this party with the assistance of Kennedy Agyapong and all the other contestants and provide a strong leadership that will take on the NDC in 2024 and inflict a third successive defeat on John Dramani Mahama…” the president said.
“I’ve done my best but I still have one more task to do and that is with all my strength, all my energy to help Bawumia win the election of 2024. Ghana cannot afford the return of the NDC, especially under the leadership of John Dramani Mahama,” Akufo-Addo added.
Source: Daily Mail GH
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