The Member of Parliament for Effiduase Asokore Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, has asserted that Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has already won the support of people in the Ashanti region in his bid to win the New Patriotic Party (NPP) primaries ahead of the 2024 general elections.
He asserts that weighing the candidacy of other contenders constesting the vice president, Dr Bawumia has far higher skills and abilities.
The lawmaker continued by saying that the majority of NPP lawmakers from the Ashanti region and almost all NPP MPs had thrown their support behind the vice president.
“Ashanti region has gone for Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia. And most times if you realize, when a whole region moves towards a particular direction, then it means that their decisions are solely based on what the grassroots are saying.
“So, I’m not surprised that Mahamudu Bawumia has won the primaries already. It’s my humble opinion and is based on history. To the extent that Ashanti MPs determine the president, and since there hasn't been any change, Mahamudu Bawumia has won the election.
“When you go to parliament, majority of the MPs, when you take out about 18 out of the 128 that I have circled out, about 108 is green for him,” he said.
Touching on the Ashanti region’s relevance and role in electing Bawumia as flagbearer, the Effiduase Asokore legislator stated, “Adu Boahen won the Ashanti region and went on to win the national election. Kufuor won support from the Ashanti region before winning the national election…he got the majority of MPs and support from the Ashanti region and we went on to win. Akufo-Addo got MPs and Ashanti region support and went on to win the elections.”
Meanwhile, names that have popped up in the NPP's yet-to-be scheduled primaries include former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen; Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central; former Agric Minister Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto; former Railway Minister Joe Ghartey, Boakye Agyarko and Kwabena Agyei Agyapong.
