Kwesi Botchwey Junior, an aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has described as pure propaganda and baseless the impression being created by some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that his principal caused the party’s humiliating defeat in the 2024 general elections.
He stated that some party members have made “ridiculous claims” against Dr. Bawumia concerning their electoral loss.
The private legal practitioner emphasized that claims attributing the party’s defeat to Dr. Bawumia’s religion or ethnicity are invalid. “Let’s be very honest with ourselves. Nowhere in the report indicated that Dr. Bawumia’s religion or ethnicity caused our defeat, or his personality or his tribe as perceived by people. It is purely propaganda,” he asserted.
Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Mr. Botchwey Junior argued that some areas where the former Vice President is blamed for the defeat are historically strongholds of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). He added that, similarly, President Mahama also recorded “zero” votes in some areas where the “Mamprusi crisis” was reportedly occurring.
He informed host Kwabena Agyapong that the NPP’s defeat was due to several factors, including the Russia-Ukraine War, the “Ken Must Go” agenda, perceived corruption pushed by the NDC, the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme, and “Adidigya” (a term often used to describe economic hardship).
Kwesi Botchwey Junior contended, “I dare say that if the NPP had filed a different candidate than Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, we would not have crossed 35 percent of the total valid votes in the 2024 general elections.”
He elaborated, “In fact, I would say this: if NPP had filed Kennedy Agyapong as a candidate, NPP would not have crossed 35 percent of the votes. We wouldn’t have crossed 35%.” He highlighted that Mr. Agyapong, who contested Dr. Bawumia and came second in the party’s presidential primaries, secured a lower vote share in the primaries.
“Dr. Bawumia secured 69 percent [in the general elections], and some party people want us to believe that he is unpopular. Then what makes us think that the one who had 32 or 33 percent in the primaries could secure 50 plus one?” he questioned. “If we are going by this mathematics, then if Kennedy Agyapong was our candidate and considering the circumstances at the time, he would not have crossed 35 percent. So let us stop the propaganda and vile campaign.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana