Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central Constituency and a flagbearer hopeful for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has expressed concerns over the political risks involved in choosing Vice President Dr. Bawumia as the party’s presidential candidate for the upcoming 2024 general elections.
According to him, statistical data shows that historically, only 3% of vice presidents who served for eight consecutive years and attempted to continue their political careers by contesting for the presidency have been successful.
He argued that while Dr. Bawumia has performed well in his role as vice president, the global economic downturn and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict have resulted in governments across the world becoming unpopular; thus, presenting Dr. Bawumia as the presidential candidate would be a risky move for the NPP.
“So, nobody is a threat to me; for Mahama, he is not even part of it because I will beat him hands down; I will beat Mahama hands down because he has failed the North.
“When you bring the vice president, I will beat him hands down. He has done well, but in eight years in government…any vice president who has run for eight consecutive years and wants to contest straight for the presidency is not easy; only 3% in the world have been able to win an election.
“So, why would NPP want to take a risk like that? That is why I decided to come in, that is why I came in. Dr. Bawumia is a fantastic man, but the global downturn and the Russia-Ukraine war made every government unpopular, so why do you want to take a risk like that? It is not about English; we are all getting down to work,” he said.
In an interview shared by Oman Channel, Kennedy Agyapong dismissed any notion of feeling threatened by other potential candidates.
He argued he would defeat all the candidates who would be his competitors in the general elections.
Meanwhile, ten flagbearer hopefuls have picked up their nomination forms to contest in the race. They include;
Former energy minister, Boakye Agyarko, was the first person to pick up nomination forms for the party’s primaries; Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Francis Addai-Nimoh, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Dr. Owusu Afriyie, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Alan Kyerematen, Kennedy Agyapong, Joe Ghartey and Kwadwo Poku