The Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has received massive endorsement in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Super Delegates Conference among the ten presidential hopefuls, who filed to contest the NPP’s flagbearership over the weekend.
Out of the party’s 961 super delegates who were supposed to cast their votes, a total of 923 valid votes cast was recorded by the Electoral Commission.
At the end of the contest, Dr Bawumia pulled 629 votes representing 68.15% out of 961 votes, leaving the remaining 9 aspirants to share the remaining votes. In the North East Region, Dr Bawumia secured an outstanding 100% victory. At the NPP Headquarters, he polled 107 votes; garnered 36 at Accra-YMCA; pulled 97 votes in Ashanti Region and 28 votes in Bono Region.
In Ahafo, Dr Bawumia secured 13votes; polled 22 in Bono East; garnered 16 in Oti Region; 31votes in Upper East; got 59 votes in Eastern Region; polled 25votes in Central Region; obtained 31votes in Western Region and; 18 votes in Western North.
In Savannah Region, he polled 19votes; secured 23votes in Upper West; polled 29votes in Volta; got 28votes in North East; and obtained 47 votes in Northern Region.
The Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, came in second with 132 votes, representing 14.30% while former Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen placed third with 95 votes, representing 10.29%.
Announcing the results at the NPP headquarters, the Director of Electoral Services of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr Serebour Quaicoe, announced that “when we put the results together, these are the figures: Kennedy Ohene Agyapong had 132 votes.
“Alan Kyerematen 95 votes, Joe Ghartey had four votes, Kwadwo Poku had three votes, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto had 36 votes, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong had six
votes, Francis Addai-Nimoh had nine votes, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku had 0 votes, Boakye Agyarko had nine votes, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia had 629 votes”.
Dr Quaicoe stated that: “Clearly, you can see from these figures that Kennedy Agyapong, Alan Kyerematen, Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia are among the five. However, when it comes to the fifth position there is a tie between Boakye Agyarko and Addai-Nimoh.
He, however, pointed out the party must decide the fate of the two candidates, saying “we have the four for you and the two have tied. So the party has to take a decision,” Dr indicated.
Run-off to break tie
After the Electoral Commission presented the final results to the Elections Committee of the NPP a few minutes to 4pm, Professor Mike Oquaye, the chairman of the committee explained the way forward
He said the Elections Committee of the NPP has, therefore, decided that there will be a run-off between the two – Boakye Agyarko and Francis Addai Nimoh next Saturday, September 2, 2023.
Professor Mike Oquaye, who is the Chairman of the Elections Committee, explained that the race for breaking the tie will go ahead unless one candidate decide to step aside.
Addressing the media after his resounding endorsement in the Special Delegates Conference, the Vice President urged the rank and file of the NPP to be mindful of the unity of the party, as the party goes through the process of electing a flagbearer for next year’s election.
“The main quest for the party is winning the 2024 elections and we all have to work together towards that,” said the Vice President.
He continued: “This will require a lot of unity from all the various flagbearership aspirants so we have to ensure that we don’t destroy the unity of this party and we don’t have a situation where there are cracks in our ranks”.
“We should unite together and close ranks so that we fight together after the internal election and win the main election. We have to come together and support whoever emerges winner so that we can break the eight. I am confident I will emerge victorious,” he stated.
Appreciation
The Vice President expressed gratitude to God for the emphatic endorsement in Saturday’s Super Delegates Conference of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“I’m thankful to God for the emphatic nature of my win today. I am also thankful to the delegates, for the overwhelming confidence they have shown in me,” Dr. Bawumia said. He added that “getting over two-thirds of the votes and leaving the other nine contestants to share one-third was a strong signal. I am very humbled and very grateful for the outcome of this election (Super Delegates)”
Dr. Bawumia added that his clear victory in the Special Delegates Conference, is only the first step towards winning the main contest in November, adding that he, and the delegates at all levels of the party, will continue to work hard to achieve that.
“This is only the first step toward our match to the flagbearership. I see this as a step towards winning the flagbearership,” he noted.
