Accra: Friends of Bawumia, a dedicated political association formed to rally support for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has appealed to the leadership, grassroots, and sympathizers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to give Dr Bawumia a second opportunity to lead the NPP into the 2028 general elections. According to Ghana News Agency, the appeal made available in a statement signed by Mr. Winfred Kofi Gidiglo, the National Chairman, emphasized that the request was rooted not only in loyalty or sentiment.
The statement highlighted strategic realism, historical precedence, and the urgent need to consolidate the party rather than divide it further in these critical times. It noted that history had repeatedly shown that the path to presidential victory in Ghana, especially within the party, had never been a one-time sprint but a journey requiring perseverance and consistency.
"In 2007, former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo won the NPP's presidential primaries after a fiercely contested battle with Hon. Alan Kyerematen," the statement read. Despite internal friction and expenditure, Nana Addo emerged victorious in subsequent primaries, ultimately becoming the party's candidate again in 2010 and once more in 2014, when Alan Kyerematen no longer contested. It was on his third attempt that he finally led the NPP back to power.
Similarly, the statement recalled how former President John Agyekum Kufuor contested twice against Nana Addo during the NPP's internal elections in the 1990s. When Nana Addo chose not to contest him again in 2000, Kufuor led the NPP to victory in the general elections, defeating the late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills. These precedents affirm a simple truth that no one has ever won the presidency on their first attempt.
The statement emphasized that winning the Ghanaian electorate takes resilience, national acceptance, party unity, and time-tested trust. Currently, the party is in opposition, and as such, it is imperative to manage limited resources wisely. Another long, bruising, and expensive internal flagbearership contest would not only drain resources financially but also further weaken an already shaken base following the 2024 loss.
Dr. Bawumia, having led the party into the 2024 elections, remains their best chance moving forward because he has been tested. He has been exposed to the electoral terrain, built a national brand, cultivated strong grassroots support, and most importantly, his social capital stretches across religious, regional, generational, and economic lines.
In 2028, the opposition NDC is expected to present a new candidate, which means that their candidate will be embarking on their first national test, trying to win over Ghanaians for the first time. By contrast, Dr. Bawumia has already done the groundwork, being known, understood, and crucially trusted by many across the country. To present a fresh candidate in 2028 would be a dangerous political experiment for the NPP, effectively setting the party back to square one.
The aftermath of the 2024 elections has left fractures within their ranks, such that rekindling the flames of internal rivalry through another contentious flagbearer race risks deepening those cracks. The statement concluded with a call to rebuild and present a unified front to the Ghanaian people, choosing continuity over conflict and giving Dr. Bawumia the chance to finish what he started for the good of the party and the future of Ghana.