Mahama mad at Akufo-Addo over handing power to Bawumia comment

• Posted on November 9, 2023November 9, 2023
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Former President John Dramani Mahama appears to be frustrated over the comments made by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that he will ensure that Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia emerges victorious in the 2024 general elections.

Mr Mahama claims, that President Akufo-Addo lacks the authority to turn the economy around and provide decent living conditions for all the citizens.

He said although Akufo-Addo is in charge of the nation’s massive economic problems, and instead of finding solutions to resolve the economic challenges,  he rather uses his influence to help Dr. Bawumia win the upcoming general elections.

The former President who is contesting the 2024 general elections with Dr Mahamudu Bawumia expressed his frustrations when interacting with the members of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in Accra on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.

He bitterly lamented that “He (Akufo-Addo) has run out of ideas on how to solve the economic challenges we find ourselves in.  By his recent declaration, his focus and last energy are going to be expended on installing his anointed successor as the next President”.

“We could have avoided this unpleasant [economic] situation, the signs of these crises were there for all to see…conflicted Finance Minister, whose interest was to borrow recklessly and mire our economy with the quagmire of debt was obvious as far as from 2019” Mr Mahama lamented.

President Akufo-Addo last Saturday, in his congratulatory message for Dr. Bawumia winning the flagbearership race of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said “You have shown that Ghana’s democracy is safe in your hands. I am confident that Mahamudu Bawumia will unite the party with the assistance of Ken Agyapong, Addai-Nimoh, and others to provide us with strong leadership”.

The President thanked every single NPP person for the last 16 years …I have one more task to do, and that is all my strength and all my energy to help Bawumia win the elections of 2024. Ghana cannot afford the return of the NDC especially under the leadership of John Mahama. The election will not be easy and we need unity.”

The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, won the presidential primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after being officially declared the winner by the Electoral Commission with a total of 118,210 votes out of 193,346 to become the winner.

His votes represent 61.47 per cent of the total valid votes cast.

His closest rival in the contest was Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP) Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, who polled a total of 71,996 votes, representing 37.41 per cent to place second.
Former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, polled 1,459, representing 0.76 per cent to place third.

He was followed by former Mampong MP Francis Addai-Nimoh, who polled a total of 781, representing 0.41 per cent.

The Vice President, Dr Bawumia will be contesting a former president, John Dramani Mahama, who was elected last December as the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

-BY Daniel Bampoe