It appears the call for Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia to name Mr. Kennedy Agyapong as his running mate is gradually gaining grounds in the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Some members of the party is calling on the vice president and the high hierarchy of the party to appoint the Assin Central law maker as his running mate. Delegates of the party on November 4 2023 voted to make a decision on who will lead the party in 2024.
Mr. Kennedy Agyapong’s performance of 71,191 votes, representing 37.41%, has since shocked many after Dr. Bawumia emerged the winner with 118,210 votes, equivalent to 61.43%. Dr Owusu Akoto and Francis Addai-Nimoh, made 1,459 votes, representing 0.76% and 781 votes, representing 0.41% respectively.
Kennedy Agyapong who was formidable contender, has garnered substantial support during the primaries. With his significant appeal to the masses, some sections of the public have suggested a potential team-up with the Vice President for the 2024 general elections.
Opinion polls garnered after the November 4 polls indicate many party members want Kennedy Agyapong as the running mate.
“I was supporting Kennedy to be the flagbearer and that didn’t happen. So for the sake of unity and peace in the party, they should go in for Kennedy to be running mate for Bawumia. We haven’t had a businessman take the presidency thus far. Therefore, I believe it will be ideal for the party to get him to bring his ideas to support Bawumia.
“Bawumia is not a strong candidate for the NDC, they will win the election easily. Even if the NDC picks me to contest Bawumia, I will beat him,” one of the individuals indicated.
Another also said “Now that Bawumia is coming, we are praying he chooses Kennedy as a running mate. If he doesn’t, we can’t tell what will become of the NPP and the NDC will win the election very simply. The NDC themselves have said that once it is Bawumia who is leading the party, they’ve won the elections in advance.
“The NPP’s chances of winning is Kennedy Agyapong. If you look at the support he got from the youth, if he had won as flagbearer, it would have been a tough election in 2024. So we are pleading with the fathers of the party to listen to what we the youth of the party are saying and make Kennedy the running mate for Bawumia.”
Conversely, another viewpoint expressed concern that choosing Kennedy as a running mate might hinder his chances of becoming president in the future.
He explained that if Kennedy becomes vice president, he may not be eligible for the presidency due to age considerations after the potential two-term tenure.
“If Kennedy becomes Bawumia’s vice, how then can he become the president? He is 62 years now, after the eight year period, he will be too old to become a president. It is better for the party to go into opposition, then he can work underground with the grassroot, so that after the four years of Mahama, he would get a chance.
“Not all the delegates voted for Bawumia. This means that Kennedy also has some followers. So if Kennedy agrees to become Bawumia’s vice president, he will never get the chance to be president of the country. It is better he follows the party into opposition,” he said.