North Tongu Member of Parliament (MP), Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has asserted that no running mate will be able to salvage the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) electoral prospects in the upcoming election.
According to Mr Ablakwa, the deep-seated issues and failures under the Akufo-Addo administration have created an insurmountable challenge for any potential running mate to overcome.
He highlighted widespread public discontentment with what he described as rampant corruption, incompetence, and a perceived betrayal of the Ghanaian populace by the current government.
Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile programme on Saturday, June 22, the former Deputy Education Minister emphasised that the grievances against the NPP are palpable and widespread among Ghanaians, making a change in leadership imperative.
Mr Ablakwa, who serves as the Ranking Member on Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, concluded by affirming that the time has come for the NPP to exit office swiftly, asserting that the government's record is sufficient grounds for its dismissal by the electorate.
"We take the view that no matter who is brought as running mate, the mess, the rot, the betrayal of trust and the anger of Ghanaians, that running mate will not save the ticket. This NPP government must leave immediately without delay so that this country will be rescued from the current mess," he said.
The National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) has reportedly conducted a survey to determine who should be the running mate for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in the upcoming elections.
The NIB survey indicated that Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the energy minister, is widely preferred among party members to be the running mate to Dr Bawumia.
Dr Bawumia is yet to announce his running mate for the 2024 General Election scheduled for December 7, 2024 – a development some political analysts have described as “long overdue.”
The NIB report, which sampled the views of 5,116 NPP delegates nationwide, including national, regional, constituency, and polling station executives, said 76.2 per cent of respondents preferred Dr Prempeh as Dr Bawumia’s running mate.
Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education, garnered 10.16 of the responses.
Other candidates that made the list included Apostle Opoku Onyinah, former Chairman of the Pentecost Church-Ghana, and Bryan Acheampong, the Minister of Agriculture and MP for Abetifi Constituency.
Credit: Ernest K. Arhinful