Bawumia is an automatic choice for presidency after Akufo-Addo - Appiah Ofori

A senior member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Paul Collins Appiah Ofori has declared his unflinching support for 2012 vice presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the party's flagbearer in future.

He said it is an incontrovertible fact that Dr. Bawumia's role in the ongoing Presidential Election Petition has put him on a higher pedestal in the party.

P.C. Appiah Ofori's endorsement marks a massive u-turn from his previous position about Dr. Bawumia candidature.

The uncompromising former MP was an ardent critic of Bawumia's choice as running mate to the party's flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo prior to the 2012 elections.

He argued that Dr. Bawumia was not an electoral asset to win votes but given his credentials as an astute economist he [Bawumia] will be very useful as Governor of the Bank of Ghana if the NPP came to power.

However, speaking on Asempa FM's Ekosii Sen programme Friday, PC Appiah Ofori said his position about Dr. Bawumia's candidature at the time was misconstrued.

The former Member of Parliament for Asikuma-Odobeng-Brakwa explained that his argument was purely based on Bawumia's performance in 2008 elections.

"Bawumia did not garner enough votes in his constituency when he was made the running mate in 2008. He cannot win more votes in the Zongos which is a crucial area for the NPP and I believed that caused our defeat," he added.

This notwithstanding, Appiah Ofori said the sterling performance put up by Dr. Bawumia in the case before the Supreme Court "has totally blown me away".

He stated emphatically that after Akufo-Addo, Bawumia is the best presidential material in the NPP.

"I have personally told Bawumia that he is an automatic choice for the presidency after Nana Akufo-Addo and I know many people in NPP agree with me".

PC Appiah Ofori stated that even if the petition goes in their favour and Akufo-Addo becomes president; after serving two terms, Bawumia is next in line.