The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Divine Agorhom, has defended the party’s decision to allow its 2024 presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to address delegates during the just-ended National Delegates Conference.
His remarks come in response to complaints from some presidential hopefuls within the party who expressed dissatisfaction over being denied the opportunity to speak at the event held on Saturday, July 19, at the University of Ghana Stadium in Accra.
While they allege being sidelined, Dr. Bawumia was granted the opportunity to speak, sparking accusations of unfair treatment.
Speaking in an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Eyewitness News on Monday, July 21, Mr. Agorhom dismissed the concerns and insisted that the protocol afforded Dr. Bawumia was appropriate, considering his position as a former Vice President and the NPP’s immediate past flagbearer.
He clarified that no official nominations for the party’s next presidential candidate have been opened, and as such, no individual currently holds the status of a presidential aspirant.
“We must put it on record that as we speak now, we have not opened nominations. So, we don’t have any aspirants for that matter. We’re all equals. We’re all equal party members. Except for the fact that we had a former Vice President in our mix, so we needed to give him that protocol, that respect,” he stated.
Responding to the criticism over Dr. Bawumia’s address to delegates, Agorhom stated that the former Vice President merely waved at party faithful and delivered brief remarks, which should not be seen as a breach of fairness.
“He [Bawumia] walked around to wave at the party people, some of whom had come from various regions. I don’t see anything wrong with that. The opportunity Bawumia had was to wave at the party people. Given the opportunity to wave at the people, what’s wrong with that? What is the problem with this?
“We should be careful not to take away a successful conference by looking for faults where there aren’t any. The matter should rest,” he stated.
The NPP’s National Delegates Conference was held to reaffirm party structures, mobilise support and amend its constitution ahead of the 2028 general elections.
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