A former Member of Parliament for Manhyia North has challenged Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to step down from his position in order to level the playing field in the impending New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearership race.
According to him, the Vice President uses state resources in his subtle campaign across the country under the guise of working tour.
Collins Owusu-Amankwah who has apparently pitched camp with Alab’s team argued Dr. Bawumia is a government sponsored candidate.
“The government-sponsored candidate is Dr. Bawumia. He is still giving money to delegates on his tours and has not stepped down.”
“His automobiles are state-sponsored. The government pays for his fuel and everything else,” he said.
Former Trade and Industry Minister Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, he said, resigned because he did not want to use state resources.
He argued the constitution being silent on whether the Vice President should or should not step down when interested in the presidency gives him an undue advantage but stressed Ghanaians are paying close attention.
Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 97.5 FM, the former MP challenged a survey conducted by Outcomes International Ghana and the Centre for Sustainable African Development Initiatives (C-SADI) UK.
The survey favours Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to win the NPP presidential primary but Collins Amankwa described it as fraudulent and claimed it was sponsored by the Vice President’s office.
He condemned major media outlets for failing to investigate the research group to determine they are genuine before using contents of the survey in their major news bulletins.
He stated the approval rating of Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen is high and that he remains the choice of delegates to represent the NPP as its presidential candidate.
He said, “Nobody can change the people’s will. If Bawumia believes in himself, he should resign as well so we can see who’s who,” he added.
In a related development, Mr. Alan Kyerematen has stated the worsening Ghanaian economy under President Nana Akufo-Addo is making it difficult for the NPP to craft a message for the 2024 election.
Speaking to the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Council during his campaign tour, the former Minister said although his former boss has achieved some milestones during his administration, the current messed-up economy is dwarfing that success to the extent that the party cannot even come up with a credible message to sell to the electorate.
Mr. Kyerematen pointed out that though the Akufo-Addo government introduced the Free SHS, Planting for Food and Jobs, One District One Factory and a lot more programmes but stressed, “As we are all aware, the economy is currently not doing well; things are not well at all and as a result the NPP cannot even put together a message to woo the electorate.”
He, however, urged the electorate to, for the first time, give the same party that has already been in government for two terms, another chance to correct its mistakes, arguing it is a better option than changing the party in government for another one given the country’s history of successive governments destroying the gains made by their predecessors of another party.