Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante, a distinguished Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, has urged Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), to promptly disclose his chosen running mate for the upcoming December 2024 elections.
During an interview with Citi News, the political expert emphasized that extended delays could potentially have significant consequences on the party’s prospects in the forthcoming elections
According to Dr. Asah-Asante, this proactive step will help mitigate any potential controversies that may arise. He highlighted the importance of conducting a more extensive consultation before finalizing the most suitable candidates. However, he acknowledged that the vice president might not have sufficient time to engage in a nationwide campaign due to the limited timeframe.
The party must be mindful of the fact that time is not on their side. Yes, you want to consult broadly but you can’t spend all your life on that. By now, they should be out with a candidate who has all the qualities that they want so that it doesn’t delay the campaign unnecessarily.
If you wait, the issue is that you bring the person in, and then the person now comes to face with the campaign already set in motion. People will now want to scrutinize the person, they will want to assess the person, and they will want to throw all manner of things at the person and that is the best means by which you can see how best you can shepherd your candidate and then prepare him/her for the task ahead.
Dr. Asah-Asante stressed the importance of the situation, stating that the delay has been prolonged and it is crucial for the party to promptly announce a running mate.
I think the delay is becoming too much. I think the party must quickly come out with a running mate.
