Former National Youth Organiser for the ruling New Patriotic Party, Sammi Awuku, has waded into the conversation on the next flagbearer to lead the party come 2024 in hopes of retaining power.

Mr Sammi Awuku, currently the Director General of the National Lottery Authority, has thrown his weight behind Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who is yet to declare his intention to contest in the flagbearership race.

In an interview on Asempa FM on Monday, April 3, 2023, monitored by The Independent Ghana, Mr Awuku explained that his support for the Vice President stems from the worth-emulating values Dr Bawumia possesses. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is a very strong, tolerant and open- minded young man, he said.

"He looks into the future with courage and optimism. I'm fond of him.

"I asked him two critical questions: Why do you want to be president? He told me his major focus if he should ever become President one day is how to create a future of opportunities for young people," Mr Awuku said.

The 38-year-old who played a vital role in mobilizing the youth leading to NPP's victory in the 2016 general election further lauded the Veep for his unified spirit and sacrifices made for the party.

“That politics of inclusion for me is something that is admirable. I've watched him move with people who had supported other candidates in the past. Someone like Fredrick Opare Ansah. Day in and day out, you see new people around him,” he stated.

Mr Awuku noted that it took bravery and discipline to come up against the legal team of the National Democratic Congress in the 2020 election petition case at the Supreme Court for eight months without losing one’s composure.

“For somebody, to sit there when it mattered most to defend his party's position and resolve for 8 months continuously and facing the NDC legal team is not easy. Lawyers Tsatsu Tsikata, Tony Lithur - deadly combination with Baasit Bamba. For 8 months he (Dr Bawumia) never lost his cool. He had his composure and defended the NPP's position.”

According to him, "if the NPP opens nomination, and his Excellency the Vice President says he will run, I (will support him)," adding that "I think he will make a great president."

The NLA boss has however entreated the Vice President to brace himself for intense “grilling” should he decide to declare his presidential ambition.

In his view, this is because “he (would) compete against strong and capable people in the party.”

Former Trade Minister, John Alan Kyerematen, former Agric Minister, Dr Afriyie Akoto, former Minister of Energy, Boakye Agyarko, Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Presidential Spokesperson and General Secretary of the party, Kwabena Agyepong, former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Joe Ghartey, who is also the MP for Essikado-Ketan; a former MP for Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimoh, and a former Minister of State, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, who is also a former MP for Offinso North, have all declared their intention to contest for the NPP presidential primaries to help break the 8-year-cycle.

The ruling party has announced that nominations for the Presidential primaries will open on May 26, 2023 and close on June 24, 2023.

On November 4, 2023, the NPP would hold its National Congress to elect its flagbearer for the next polls.

Background details on Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia

Dr Mahamudu Bawumia served as a Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana until his nomination as Vice Presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) by then Presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo in 2008.

He also ran as the vice-presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party in Ghana's 2012 general elections and was the lead witness for the petitioners in the 2012/2013 Presidential Election Petition, which challenged the declaration of John Mahama as the winner of the 2012 Presidential Election.

He became Ghana’s Vice President in 2017 after Nana Akufo-Addo beat John Mahama in the 2016 general election. In 2020, he retained his position as the NDC lost to the NPP in the presidential election.

Source: The Independent Ghana