Bawumia presents NAPO as his running mate nominee to NPP’s National Council today

The National Council (NEC) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will meet today, 4 July, with the party’s flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, to discuss his choice of running mate for the upcoming 7 December general elections.

Dr Bawumia is expected to justify his selection of Energy Minister Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, commonly known as NAPO, as the best fit for the role.

Henry Nana Boakye, National Organiser of the NPP, in an interview on Accra based Citi FM said that this meeting is in accordance with the party’s constitution.

"In our party’s constitution, Article 13 is quite clear that whoever the nominee is, whoever you intend to present as a running mate, you must do so in consultation with the National Council. So he [Bawumia] is presenting before the National Council the MP for Manhyia South and Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh [as his running mate]."

Meanwhile, Deputy Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Malik Basintale, has criticised the suitability of Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh as Dr Mahamudu Bawumia's running mate for the 2024 elections.

In an interview on Accra-based Citi FM on Wednesday, 3 July 2024, Basintale expressed his view that the Energy Minister lacks the necessary qualifications for the position.

He also mentioned that NAPO has a poor track record and is often regarded as arrogant.

"He [NAPO] is a very bad candidate…He has a very bad track record…He was the same person who came to take us back to Dumsor and today lights go off recklessly here and there. Same man. So people know the man NAPO. People know how arrogant he is, people know how confrontational, how he lacks the temperament, how he lacks the competencies to fit in the space of being a running mate."

Dr Bawumia had a crucial meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on 25 June to discuss his choice of Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh as his running mate and subsequently formally met and informed the NPP’s leadership and the Parliament’s Majority caucus.