A stalwart of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Richard Amoako Baah has said that the Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia should step aside for the others who were in the party before he joined to contest to become the next flagbearer of the NPP ahead of the 2024 elections.
Dr Amoako Baah told Media General’s Williams Evans Nkum in an interview that there were others who had the ambition of becoming president but they put that quest on hold to support candidate Akufo-Addo to become the president.
They hoped that that it would get to their turn after President Akufo-Addo is done serving his term.
These persons, he said, were party insiders before Dr Bawumia joined hence, it is only fair that they are allowed to contest to become flagbearer.
“We don’t understand what we are doing in terms of democracy and party politics,” he said, adding that “Just because you hold a certain position does not make you an automatic candidate, there were other people there before you came.
“Look at the situation, Nana Addo brought Bawumia in, Bawumia was not an NPP insider, Nana Addo brought him in. People opposed it but he was adamant and he went to the elections with him but they lost, they went again and they lost, went again.
“That is twelve years, twelve years in line the others were still waiting. In most countries this will not happen, two times you are out, are you the only person in the party?”
He added “We had great hopes in Nana Addo and so we said we should let him go. I worked so hard for him but look at the situation now, you bring a young man as shadow Vice President for twelve years, plus four years that is sixteen years now. He is going for another four years and that is twenty years.
“What happened to those who were in line who were challenging Nana Addo? Twenty years, you should step aside because you have to be fair to the party. Step aside and let the others also compete, that is fairness. You don’t say I want this, I don’t want this and because I picked him as Vice President he should go. Is he the only person in the party?”
