Prrofessor Seidu Alidu, Head, Political Science Department, University of Ghana, has expressed concern on the leak of a National Investigation Bureau (NIB) survey regarding Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party flagbearer’s preferred running mate.
He said although the NIB was mandated to investigate issues of national security importance, its findings should have been kept confidential and disclosed only after the Party had made their official announcement on their selected candidate.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Prof. Alidu said the circulation of the survey in the media, could create “bandwagon effect” and influence the Party’s decision in favour of one candidate.
“The survey is relevant. The NIB is supposed to be proactive in advising the Government on national security matters and potential security threats. The selection of a running mate who will potentially be the vice president of the Republic should be of national security concern.
“Making it public is concerning. I am not sure it was meant to sway opinions towards a particular candidate or not,” he said.
The NIB survey indicated that Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the energy minister, is widely preferred among party members to be the running mate to Dr Bawumia.
Dr Bawumia is yet to announce his running mate for the 2024 General Election scheduled for December 7, 2024 – a development some political analysts have described as “long overdue.”
The NIB Report, which sampled the views of 5,116 NPP delegates nationwide, including national, regional, constituency, and polling station executives, said 76.2 per cent of respondents preferred Dr Prempeh as Dr Bawumia’s running mate.
Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education, garnered 10.16 of the responses.
Other candidates that made the list included Apostle Opoku Onyinah, former Chairman of the Pentecost Church-Ghana, and Bryan Acheampong, the Minister of Agriculture and MP for Abetifi Constituency.
Prof. Alidu said six months would be too short a time to market the preferred running mate for the NPP.
He said the Party would have to develop a strategy to convince voters to accept the character and personality of the candidate ahead of the December 7 polls.
“Can you change a person’s character and the way that people perceive him in six months?” he asked, adding that “It takes time for people to repose confidence in the candidate.”
GNA