Former Afigya Kwabre South constituency chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, also known as COKA, is imploring Dr. Mahmadu Bawumia, the vice president and the party’s flagbearer, to help douce the tension in the party in the region.
Choosing and naming his running mate from the early, according to Chairman COKA, would reduce the brewing tension in the region.
COKA’s call is a result of the ongoing conversations surrounding Dr. Bawumia’s running mate selection, something which he was supposed to do last year, according to the party’s constitution.
“It is a known fact that various interest groups within the party have started lobbying for their preferred candidate to be chosen as vice presidential candidate. To make the ticket of the pairing stronger, many have urged NPP to choose its running mate from Ashanti region, the “World bank” of the party.” COKA said on his Facebook page over the weekend.
The NDC has named its running mate – Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang-and COKA believes the opposition party has targeted the Ashanti Region, the NPP’s world bank, for majority of its votes.
He said, “The NDC, our main opponent, has made Ashanti region (NPP’s base ) their target to get more votes going into 2024 elections; not even their considered world bank, Volta region It is therefore IMPORTANT we ( NPP) do not allow the selection of a running mate to divide the Ashanti region the more. Fact: If the Ashanti region fails NPP, the NPP party will be in BIG TROUBLE.”
Odeneho argued that there are some divisions in the Ashanti Region because there has been some lobbying in the region that has seemingly created a division and tension in the region.
“To make the ticket of the pairing stronger, many have urged NPP to choose its running mate from Ashanti region, the “World bank” of the party. So , lobbying is intense in the Ashanti region and therefore seems to have created “tension and deep division” in the Ashanti region.”
In that regard, he appealed to Dr. Bawumia to speed up the process of selecting his running mate.
This, he stated, is to prevent the divisions in the region from getting to the core and totally disrupting the party’s activities there.
“l also want to appeal to Dr. Bawumia, our candidate for 2024, will also save NPP from further division by naming his running mate sooner than later . This will further help the party, especially Ashanti region NPP, from further deteriorating. By naming the running mate NOW, any fallouts could be managed and handled by the ongoing reconciliation team in the Ashanti region led by Mr. Edward Boateng.”
COKA maintained, however, that pressure should not be mounted on Dr. Bawumia, in selecting the vice presidential candidate, that he must be allowed to make his choice in peace and that the obvious choice will be from the Ashanti Region because that will rejuvenate the base of the party and also prevent the NDC from taking control over the region.
“The region needs everybody to help break the 8. Let us not pressurize Dr. Bawumia. let’s allow him to make his best choice.” He said.
Chairman odeneho Appiah also urged all the defeated aspirants to come onboard the campaign team to help win 2024 elections.
“I contested for the regional chairmanship position. It was a fierce one, and unfortunately, l lost, but l cannot turn my back to the party l love so much. I am fully on board the party’s campaign to help break the 8, and so l expect all party members to join the campaign.
“We have only one NPP. 2024 is the ultimate. Let’s unite behind the big elephant,” he said.