Majority Caucus Rejection of Napo, Clear Indication Bawumia Chose Money Over Integrity

Many NPP members were becoming impatient over the failure of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to announce the person who will partner him to the 2024 elections. Their impatience was justified by the fact that he begged for extension of time for more consultations on the date he was due to announce his running mate last year. The NPP National Executive Council approved his plea but the over delay kept many wondering over his capacity to lead the NPP to victory.

Finally, the news came in last week that the NPP Presidential Candidate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has presented the name of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh popularly known as Napo to the National Executive Council (NEC) to be considered for the position of running mate. It appears the nomination was done with no or less consultation as members of the Majority Caucus have rejected the nominee, who also doubles as their colleague in parliament. One would have expected that the Majority Caucus would have been the group in the NPP who would have joyously welcome the nomination of Napo because he is one of their own.

Unfortunately for Dr. Bawumia and Napo, it was not to be so. The Majority Caucus rebel group leader Andrew Appiah Kubi came public to announce his disapproval of the Naminee. He said, “if it were up to me to choose, I wouldn’t choose him. He is not my preference. ‘Appiah-Kubi is saying that he is not my preference’, but that doesn’t mean he is not qualified.” He proceeded to state that, “I would want somebody who would be open with the people on the ground, who would be able to deliver the votes, who would submit to the presidency, and who would be important in bringing Parliament closer to the executive. I don’t see that happening in this equation. He cannot hold my hand, so why would I say that I prefer him? He cannot hold my hand,”

A deeper analysis of Hon. Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, the Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North comment indicates that Napo is not somebody the NPP can rely on to bring unity. It will be correct to assume Appiah-Kubi as saying that NAPO is a divisive figure in that he cannot bring cordiality between parliament of which he (Napo) is a member and the executive except separation and division. Hon. Appiah-Kubi was emphatic that Napo cannot raise his hand. This should tell anyone that there is great division between the rebel group who form the majority of the NPP caucus in parliament and Napo.

The revelations further explain that the relationship between Napo and the Majority Caucus in parliament is heavily dirtied. This is because Appiah-Kubi cannot be seen to be speaking for himself but for a group he once led to oust the Former Finance Minster, Ken Offori Atta from office for incompetence. In the NPP, it is not every member who disapprove of certain decisions that can come out and express his/her feelings publicly. If you do, you will be humiliated like Paul Afoko, Dr. Kwabena Agyapong, Alan Kyeremanteng, etcetera. The rebel group numbering about 80 out of a total of 138 majority MPs hide under the cover of Hon. Appiah-Kubi to ventilate their unhappiness about the nomination of Napo.

Dr. Bawumia did not also help matters in his nomination of the yet to be approved running mate. It was clear that he did not consult the Majority Caucus in parliament as admitted to by both Appiah-Kubi and the Majority Leader Afenyo Markin. An important decision like this requires the inputs of the Members of Parliament who will run vigorous campaigns in the constituencies to deliver the vote. Not consulting them is high disrespect and their rejection should be expected.

The NPP rebel group in Parliament is not the only group in the NPP against the nomination of Matthew Opoku Prempeh. Reports have it that Dr. Bawumia had a strategic meeting with the chairman and leader of the NPP strong hold (the Ashanti Region), Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Wontumi), over his disapproval of the running mate. At the meeting, Chairman Wontumi was begged to accept the nomination of Napo before he can be out doored else it will affect them negatively in the Ashanti Region.

It appears little or no consultation is done prior to the nomination of Napo. This has been the attitude of the NPP leadership and so it is not surprising the economy has crashed the way it has. They place little value in marshaling the opinions of key stakeholders in any matter of concern and they are fond of giving all manner of unreasonable excuses anytime they get stacked.

But why did Dr. Bawumia go for Napo? This decision was purposefully money and not integrity and competence. In April, 2024, Renowned broadcaster and Okey FM host, Kwame Nkrumah Tikese announced on his programme that Dr. Bawumia has already presented his running mate. He confirmed he has called about 50 people and they mentioned it to him. He further added that he called the supposed nominee and he also confirmed the submission of his name. He proceeded to describe the person saying, “the party needs money for campaign and the person also made a lot of money at the two ministries he has headed. The person went to the Education and Energy ministries and Bawumia also needs money.” No doubt, the description perfectly suits Napo.

Dr. Bawumia is only appointing him because he has made money as a minister through corrupt and shoddy deals. As Education Minister, he has printed and distributed past questions to high school students at inflated costs. He also supervised the problematic “Teachers’ Mate” (computers) of which a good number of teachers have not yet received their computers. Experts complained that the cost of each computer is about three times its market value. There are many credibility issues on Napo that time will not allow for me to go on but this will not be the end.

Napo is not likeable and popular as some of his fanatics will have us believe. Never have we seen any running mate been rejected or disapproved the way and manner Napo is being rejected. Napo is not a running mate for the NPP but for a select few who feel they own the NPP and that they can run the party the way they like. Well it is not in my place to tell who is good for the NPP but certainly, their own reactions have proven enough to all of us that the Bawumia-Napo ticket is not a ticket we can rely on to build the Ghana we want.