NPP will support Bawumia for flagbearership if... Sir John

Graphic.com.gh Politics Feb - 17 - 2014 , 15:19

The General-Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (aka Sir John), has been explaining the circumstances under which Dr Mahamudu Bawumia could be supported to lead the party into the 2016 Presidential Elections.

Mr Afriyie told Accra-based Citi FM Monday that Dr Bawumia will be the best person to lead the party in the event that front-runner, Nana Akufo-Addo, declines to contest.

Though Nana Akufo-Addo is yet to declare his intention to represent the party for a third straight time, several pundits believe it is only a matter of time before he does so.

Mr Afriyie, however, believes that Dr Bawumia has what it takes, in the absence of Nana Addo, to lead the party to victory in the 2016 Election.

He said Dr Bawumia deserved the honour in view of his enviable role as star witness for the NPP in the Election Petition Hearing, which the party lost.

“We will not send Bawumia to the gallows to defend this party and when it comes to the ultimate, he will not be there? He will be there,” the NPP General Secretary was quoted as saying.

According to Mr Afriyie, assuming Nana Addo decides not to contest and another candidate is chosen to represent the party ahead of Dr Bawumia, it will give credence to the perception that the NPP is an Akan party.

“Those, who see themselves as presidential materials can contest but my fear is that if Bawumia does not get the nod, they will say because he is a Northerner, we did not vote for him. This NDC propaganda will kill us”, he pointed out.