The dispute between NPP member of parliament for Manhyia South Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Napo), the minister of energy, and NPP chairman for the Ashanti region, Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Wontumi), has been resolved by NPP vice president and presidential candidate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
The two prominent NPP members in the Ashanti Region are rumored to have had falling out over a number of party issues. Wontumi is thought to have objected to Matthew Opoku Prempeh’s proposed nomination as Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s running mate for the general elections scheduled for December 7, 2024, because of these issues.
Peaceful negotiations
However, as part of broad consultations being undertaken by the NPP leader and presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, before naming his running mate, the vice president met with Wontumi, Napo, `Nana Nkansah Boadu, and other leading members of the party at his official residence to iron out the differences and to seek a unified front ahead of the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Asaase News has gathered that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and all the issues that led to the differences that existed between the two NPP stalwarts have been dealt with and effectively resolved.
The two NPP leaders, Wontumi and Napo according to a source who is familiar with the negotiations that took place between the parties, indicated that they have resolved to set aside their differences and rally behind Dr Bawumia as he leads a spirited campaign of the NPP to win the presidency for a third time running on the ticket of the NPP.
The development also paves the way for the NPP presidential candidate to present his running mate nominee, Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Napo) to the party’s national council hopefully on Tuesday, 2 July 2024, for the endorsement of the national council.
Once this process is carried out, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will have the green light to officially announce and outdoor his running mate to the larger party and Ghanaians in the first week of July.
Intense consultations
Recent developments such as Dr Bawumia’s meetings with President Akufo-Addo, the NPP Council of Elders, and the leadership of the Majority Caucus in Parliament, have given the clearest indication of the decision of Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia to partner with Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Napo) for the 9th presidential and parliamentary elections under the 4th Republican constitution which came into force on 7 January 1993.
The choice of Napo has been widely publicised in mainstream and social media for the last three months. The speculation that Napo had been named as the running mate to Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has received its first share of acceptance and criticism within the rank and file of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Polls
Several polls that have been conducted by various institutions and individuals have all put Napo ahead of all other persons whose names came up as potential running mates to Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
Napo emerged as the preferred person to partner with the vice president and presidential candidate of the NPP in the 7 December 2024 general election in the most recent study carried out by the Danquah Institute (DI). The Danquah Institute poll was carried out in the second week of June 2024.
