Why Bawumia Is The Right Person To Succeed Nana Addo -Episode 1

The need would soon arise for the New Patriotic Party ( NPP ) to inevitably choose a new face from enviable and distinguished individuals to flag/man the affairs of the party ahead of the 2024 elections in the not too distant future and as such, it is one of the major headaches of the ruling party over who replaces His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo after his second tenure in 2024. Many including myself believe that, the contest is between current Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Hon. Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng however, be it as it may, the dee-day for the party's kingmakers or delegates to choose a flag bearer for the party will not only be a reflection of the sense of reasoning on the part of the delegates, but to consolidate the gains made by the party in the last four years of it's reign and would also go a long way to defeat or erase the only God's know time of the NDC's allegations of a purported "clause" allegedly enshrined in the party's constitution "barring Northerners" from rising to become the party's flag bearer.

From afar, i anticipate a tough competition over who becomes the successor to President Akuffo Addo as the leader of the party. However, am of every conviction that the deciders of the flagbearership position in the party are well discerning enough to as per the bricks of democracy figure out or determine who leads them for the forward match of the business of the party by way of opting for the right candidate in the spirit of oneness and togetherness to execute or realize the agenda of the party. By doing this, the leadership of the party must at all cost avoid apathy before, during and after the party's general congress to ensure trust and hope.

His Excellency Nana Addo's second term will end in 2024 which will call or prompt for the "rebirth" of the party by way of turning a new leaf by inevitably and practically selecting a new brand of leadership ( Flag bearer and a running mate ).

A vibrant, visionary, disciplined, charismatic, zealous and dynamic leader is what the party needs to chart it's course.

The ability or capacity of someone or an individual to lead in a lay man's understanding is leadership. The NPP per the above definition of leadership must select a flagbearer who has unquestionable commitment and love for the party and must at all times in the interest of the party be ready to accommodate constructive criticism, listen to wise counselling, proactive and create room to be able to throughput friables or intricate structure.

The above leadership qualities must be seen in whoever becomes the flagbearer of the party and anything short than that would ultimately spell doom to the chances of the party moving into the 2024 general elections. The Ghanaian citizens in 2016 presidential elections gave Nana Addo and the NPP a resounding victory with a vote margin of over one million between him and his closest contender ( then incumbent president ) which didn't happen in the just ended presidential elections though the party per the electoral commission's declaration won with a little over five hundred thousand votes margin which in the sovereign interest of the party, drums home alot of lessons. In view of the near loose of the party in the 2020 polls and the fact that His Excellency Nana Addo can not contest again should prompt the leadership of the party to select a flagbearer capable of consolidating the gains made by the party since assuming power in 2017.

His Excellency Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia ever since his appointment as the then running mate to then candidate Akuffo Addo and now president in 2008, 2012 and the 2016 presidential elections where the party won in the latter defines the confidence Nana Addo and the NPP has in him.

In a developing country like Ghana where the rate of unemployment is on the surge requires an action oriented economist in the person of Dr. Bawumia to steer or man the affairs of the country to ensure or put in motion good economic policies to eradicate the ever soaring unemployment rate engulfed our dear nation Ghana which would in the long run, reduce the effects of the menace of unemployment.

Dr. Bawumia known in public domain as the " Adam Smith " of economics in our Republic, is an astute economist and a banker married with several political experience garnered over the years and has what it takes in my candid opinion to sail the party through.

His technical know how of our economy to the liken of the ordinary citizenry which aided the successful exit from the IMF which thus won him respect and accolades would be put to bare for the forward match of the country. Dr. Bawumia's economic lecture across the length and breath of our country in his own words about the "sinking" economy prior to the 2016 elections has not only won power for the NPP but, has also seen to the fulfilment of some of the campaign promises made to the Ghanaian people.

Without any shred of equivocation, let me state emphatically that, am totally against tribal bigotry and as such, am one of the lucky few and discerning floating voters who determines the outcome of Ghana's election.

Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu aside his economic prowess, is a Mamprusi and a Northerner for that matter and as such, will enue or be an advantage to the ruling New Patriotic Party for the NPP, has always been branded an Akan monopoly party. But take it or leave it, ethnicity plays an integral role in Ghana's body politics and political observers in Ghana knows same and can attest to utterances made by some leading members of the NDC including the affable former president of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama especially on the person of Dr. Bawumia prior to the 2016 elections and if there's any chance to defeat the notion that, the NPP is an Akan party then, the NPP need to put in place proper techniques interms of ethnic transposition to halt the NDC from the continuous branding of the NPP as pro-Akan.

Dr. Bawumia is also a true believer of his faith, a unifier and does not harbour bitterness or whatsoever even when given reasons to. Many argue that there was not unity among leadership of the party ahead of the 2016 elections and the party still won but i dare challenge the party to give chance to the devil this time round.

Haven rallied behind Nana Akuffo Addo as a three time running mate, am very certain he is the best bet interms of who can unite the party as a flagbearer ahead of 2024 general elections.

Aside having the above attributes, he is also eloquent, an inspiration, zealous, politically challenging and has what it takes to woe floating voters and has every essential attribute to democratically win power for the NPP.

A prospective flagbearer with the above vital characteristics though trivial is what the party needs and Dr. Bawumia needless to say, have all these traits.

Certainly, Dr. Bawumia is going to face a stiff competition from the yet to be declared prospective candidates and key among them is Hon. Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng a one time contender for the slot who garnered 738 votes as against then winner Akuffo Addo who also at the time emerged victorious with 1,096 votes of the total valid votes cast out of seventeen (17) candidates which include then former and late vice president Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Konadu Apraku, Yaw Osafo Maafo, Addo Kuffour, immediate past speaker of Parliament Right honourable Prof. Mike Oquaye and late Jake Obetsebi Lamptey and a host of others.

Like i said, i anticipate a very challenging but healthy competition over who becomes the flagbearer of the party because but i strongly believe the discerning and well informed kingmakers of the party would settle on Dr. Bawumia for he alone like the outspoken but brilliant Afia Pokuah of UTV said can match former president John Mahama and any other candidate from the NDC .

An opinion many say is like a nose which everybody has and for this reason, the debate as to who becomes the flag bearer of the party would continue unabated. However, my advice to the party is that they must at all times be cogent, show decorum and not be destructive in their arguments over who replaces Akuffo Addo. They must also provide equal playing field or grounds to all the candidates so as to avoid apathy, bitterness and self-destruction.

And until then, watch out for the second episode of this feature.

Shalom, peace!

By: Ezekiel Abdul Aziz a.k.a Majority Leader

0595845084 / 0540686895

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The writer holds a B.A in Ghanaian Language Education (Gonja) with Linguistics as a second subject area from the prestigious University Of Education, Winneba and he is also a Radio / Tv presenter from Damongo in the Savannah Region