Bawumia given more time to pick running mate

Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has been allowed more time by the leadership of the governing New Patriotic Party to settle on his running mate after appealing to the party’s National Council for that concession.

The NPP's constitution requires that its flagbearer names a running mate exactly a year to an election when the president is not the candidate or the party is not in government.

Dr Bawumia, who was elected on 4 November 2023, however, appealed to the National Council, at a meeting held on Wednesday, 6 December 2023, to be granted more time to consult on the matter.

The National Council, which has the power to set aside that particular constitutional requirement, granted Dr Bawumia's request.

After the meeting, General Secretary Justin Frimpong Kodua told journalists: "In line with our constitution, particularly about article 13 (32): ‘the vice presidential candidate shall be a known and active member, at least, five years and shall be nominated by the presidential candidate at least 12 months before general elections when the party is not in government or the president is not the candidate', the National Council may, however, dispense with this requirement under special circumstances".

"From the interpretation of this article, it presupposes that today should have been the day our leader of the party and our presidential candidate should have presented his running mate to the national council.”

“However, upon request from the presidential candidate that because his election was done on the 4th of November 2023, he needs a bit of time to continue with his consultation before he brings the proposed name for running mate to the national council,” Mr Kodua said.

-classfmonline