Bawumia rebukes Mahama's past claims on NPP leadership at Jirapa rally

Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has invoked past remarks made by former President John Mahama, asserting that the NPP would never elect a native of the northern part of the country as its leader. 

Dr. Bawumia addressed a spirited crowd on Thursday, pointing out the irony in Mahama’s earlier statements.

Speaking in Jirapa, Dr. Bawumia recounted Mahama’s prediction that the NPP would not choose a northerner for its leadership, suggesting that Bawumia should wait for such an occurrence before seeking presidential support from the north. Mahama made these remarks in the Upper West Region during the 2016 election campaign.

"When I decided to contest for the flagbearership of the NPP, many people said it was not possible. They said it wouldn't happen. They said the NPP would never elect a northerner to be the leader. But I told them if God says it is possible, it will be possible," Dr. Bawumia remarked.

"So I went for the contest and by the grace of God, I am the leader of the NPP."

Dr. Bawumia underscored that the NPP’s decision to elect him now challenges Mahama’s earlier assertions. 

"You will recall that some time ago former President Mahama said that if the NPP wants the north to vote for them, they should elect Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. Today, the NPP has elected Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, so the north, it is now time to vote for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia."

With both major parties fielding northern candidates—Dr. Bawumia for the NPP and former President Mahama for the NDC—the Vice President called the upcoming election "an historic election."

Dr. Bawumia criticized Mahama’s past presidency, particularly highlighting a lack of development in northern regions, including Jirapa and the Upper West.

"It is an important election and a historic election. This is the first time the two leading parties are presenting candidates from the north, so it is going to be a northern President. It is either Dr. Bawumia or former President Mahama. But former President Mahama has been President before and I have not. I have only been a Vice President and my contributions to the development of the north are there for all to see."

"But do you recall what former President Mahama did for Jirapa, the Upper West Region, and the entire North? He said he set up SADA to develop the north but after millions of dollars, we saw nothing. Can you point to any SADA project here in Jirapa, the Upper West, and the northern regions? They said they invested in Guinea fowls and when we asked them where the Guinea fowls were, they said they had flown to Burkina Faso."

"We want development and we want to go forward. We want to go forward with digitalisation and modern agriculture, not lip service and Guinea fowl, which Mahama represented," Dr. Bawumia concluded.