A former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugre Naabu, says it will be an act of discrimination if the party fails to endorse Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the party’s flagbearer for the 2024 polls.

According to him, the election of Dr. Bawumia will ensure that the Busia, Danquah, and Dombo gates of the party are fairly represented.

His comments follow an earlier endorsement of Bawumia’s candidature by the party’s Northern Regional Executives.

Speaking to Citi News, Bugre Naabu hinted that, a group of northern chiefs will soon announce their endorsement of Dr. Bawumia.

“Already, I have done some consultations with opinion leaders in the Northern Region including chiefs to come out massively to endorse Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia because we in the Northern sector of the party insist this should be our time, and we think that Dr. Bawumia cannot be left aside.”

“So if the whole NPP family does not support him for us to get our share, then it means they are discriminating against us,” Bugre Naabu said.

Earlier endorsement
The Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Chairman Samba, and the party’s other executives in the region declared their full support for Dr. Bawumia on Monday, June 28, 2021.

The executives believe it is now the turn of the Dombo gate of the NPP to lead the party.

Speaking on behalf of the NPP Northern Regional Chairman, the party’s Deputy Regional General Secretary, Yussif Danjumah said: “Abdul Latif Solomon was a very committed party member who would wish that the Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia would annex the throne after President Nana Akufo-Addo as the leader of the New Patriotic Party. The Northern Regional Chairman in his message to the Vice President and the entirety of the region is solidly behind Dr. Bawumia and has declared support for him”.

There was an earlier disagreement within the NPP in the region over the flagbearership slot. The leadership of the party subsequently called for calm among their members.

There is currently an intense campaign ongoing on social media and other platforms from the camps of the various flagbearer hopefuls.

Most recently, campaign posters of the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto emerged on social media suggesting his bid for the flagbearship.

Before him, there was support for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen who are being speculated as potential flagbearer aspirants in the NPP.

Already the party has described as indecent and uncalled-for, the activities of party members who have started campaigning as potential aspirants for the NPP flagbearer position ahead of the 2024 general elections.

Communications Director of the NPP, Yaw Buaben Asamoah, earlier advised such interested persons to exercise restraint and focus on helping the NPP achieve its goals for President Akufo-Addo’s second term in office.

Campaign activities are yet to be sanctioned by the National Executive Committee and the National Council of the party.

The governing party is expected to hold its presidential primary in 2023.