Bawumia, Alan Kyerematen reportedly interested in NPP flagbearership race
NPP vows to 'break the 8'
Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen, has stated that the chances of his cryptic ‘Mamprusi candidate' winning the 2024 general elections far outweighs that of former president John Dramani Mahama who per reports and indications looks set to lead the NDC into the elections.
In an interview on Okay FM on Thursday January 27, 2022, Nana Obiri Boahen defended his continuous declaration of support for the ‘Mamprusi candidate’ despite a ban on campaigning by the NPP.
According to him, his actions do not amount to campaigning or supporting a candidate.
“I, Obiri Boahen, I’m the one saying I’m bringing the Mamprusi candidate. Don’t call that as campaign…I’m forthright and honest and sincere….Take it or leave it I am bringing him. I have already brought him. I’ll eventually bring him. The NDC will also bring the Gonja man. It [2024 elections] will be Mamprusi versus Gonja…it will be a good combination…One will lose…I will floor President Mahama,” he said.
It will be recalled that Nana Obiri Boahen in an interview on Accra-based Joy FM on Thursday, January 13, declared his intention to support the candidature of a prominent Mamprusi candidate to annex the flagbearership slot of the NPP and eventually become president before he bows out of politics.
He indicated that his comment was borne out of a probe by a member of the party who wanted to know his political future going forward.
In his response, he suggested that he wanted to give a Mamprusi candidate his support to become president before taking a back seat in politics.
“I stated categorically…that was when I was asked the question as to whether I will go back to the party headquarters after 2022. Then I said that ‘no’, I’m not going back to the party headquarters. I have been a deputy general secretary of the party…two terms [when in opposition and when in power] and to that extent I’m not going back to the party headquarters.
“Then the person asked ‘what else? Is that going to be the end of Nana Obiri Boahen in politics?’. My answer was no. I am going to make history in this country for historians to chronicle and he went on to ask ‘what is that history?’. Then I said at the appropriate time I am going to bring a leading politician who is Mamprusi by ethnicity and he is going to win the flagbearership for the New Patriotic Party [and] going to win the presidential slot,” Nana Obiri Boahen detailed.
Asked by host Ernest Manu if his pronouncement does not amount to a declaration of support for a candidate, he explained that he was only making known his political preference.
“I was just telling the whole world my position in politics in the foreseeable future. And I still stand by that. That I am going to hold the hand of a leading character who is a Mamprusi, who is renowned and reputable in this country, and he’s going to be the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, and eventually, he’ll be the President of the Republic of Ghana. I’m going to make that history and I still stand by that,” Mr. Boahen emphasized.
Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, Nana Obiri Boahen