I will not disappoint you - Bawumia's assurance to NPP faithfuls

The newly elected flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has assured the rank and file of the party that he will not disappoint them.

He has, therefore, expressed his profound gratitude to all party faithful for putting their trust in him.

Sharing his vision after he was officially outdoored as the leader of the party in Accra on Saturday night [Nov 4], Dr Bawumia said, the NPP remained the best option for the progress and prosperity of Ghanaians.

He said he has his own vision and priorities and therefore given the opportunity by the people of Ghana to lead, he would build an inclusive, food self-sufficient, data-driven and systems based nation that would fully participate in the global digital revolution to solve the problems of Ghana.

“I want to lead a nation that improves and unleashes the talents of our youth and offers good jobs with good pay and sustainable growth with macroeconomic discipline,” he added.

As the leader of the NPP for Election 2024, Dr Bawumia expressed confidence in the talent of the Ghanaian youth in various sectors such as information technology, robotics, entrepreneurship, creative arts and sports saying when these talents were mobilised “we will surely build a mighty nation.”

He, therefore, invited the youth to join him in “my journey of great possibilities.”

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Results

Dr Bawumia won the NPP Presidential primary and won with 61.43 per cent of the valid votes cast after he won in 14 out of 16 regions.

He polled 118,210 which represented 61.43 per cent while his closest contender Kennedy Ohene Agyapong had 71,996 which was 37.41 per cent.

The other candidates, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto also had 1,449 which was 0.75 per cent with Francis Addai-Nimoh also polling 781 representing 0.41 per cent.

Describing his election to the flagbearer position as the greatest honour of his life, the Vice-President said, the victory was for the entire party people.

“I thank the almighty God for making this emphatic victory possible and for his unending blessings on me, the NPP, and Ghana.  It is a victory for the rank and file of our great party; particularly to you, our hardworking grassroot members at the constituency, electoral area and polling station levels,” he stressed.

He said the significance of this victory was not lost on him as he had always believed that with hard work, honesty, discipline and faith in God, it was possible to fulfill one’s potential.

He further commended the Electoral Commission of Ghana and the Presidential Election Committee of the NPP, the security services and the other aspirants for an excellent job done.

He was also grateful to the founding fathers of the party, his parents and all who helped nurture the NPP to this level for their hardwork and sacrifices over the years.

Dr Bawumia rallied the his fellow contenders and all party supporters to join hands with him saying “I am determined to work with all of them and all our supporters to achieve the ambition of "Breaking the 8''.

That ambition, he indicated, required the participation of all the aspirants including Kennedy Ohene Agyapong,  Dr Akoto Afriyie, Boakye Agyarko, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Joe Ghartey, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku,  Addai Nimo and  Kojo Poku.

He was grateful to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the confidence he reposed in him since 2008 and added that “that singular, consistent decision birthed this historic moment we are witnessing.”

As a party, Dr Bawumia charged, everyone to loudly and consistently tell the public about the achievements of the party and its ongoing efforts.

“We are all  communicators, each one of is an NPP ambassador, and we should be telling the NPP story in our daily lives as well as on the public stage, every opportunity we get,” he emphasized.

He said he had no intention of slowing down and therefore he would get right back to work, sit down with Ghanaians from all walks of life including civil society, student organisations to young professionals, stakeholders in the business community and religious leadership.

“The positon I seek needs to be earned, and I intend to show every single voter, from the farmer to the financial head, that I am the right man for the job. I will listen to your concerns and answer your questions, because we are partners in this process and any worthwhile gain comes from a communal investment,” he said.

Breaking the 8

Touching on the quest of the party to retain power after the next elections in 2024, Dr Bawumia said “breaking the 8,” was more than just a slogan.

By breaking the 8, he said, “we break with a culture of complacency, we reject the tacit agreement that power is handed over every eight years, thereby relinquishing responsibility for the growth of this nation.”

He explained that the eight year cycle stood in the way of a long-term vision for Ghana and therefore breaking it was not about NPP bragging rights but rather about being able to successfully implement long term visions and policies under a consistent leadership.

“Breaking the 8 is not about partisanship but about patriotism, and knowing that Ghana deserves consistency, focus and follow-through, not political bickering and division. We will break the eight in unity and we will govern in unity, because regardless of the margin of our victory, we govern for and in the interest of 100 per cent of Ghanaians,”Dr Bawumia pointed out.

He said the party has two tasks ahead which is to be victorious in 2024 while steering the nation from recovery to prosperity.

Given the chance, he said, he was determined to serve as a leader for a united Ghana, for all Ghanaians, regardless of background, circumstance or socio-economic status.