Bawumia's delay in announcing running mate is politically unhealthy – Analyst

Justice Siaw Mandela, a political analyst, has asserted that Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's delay in selecting his running mate is politically detrimental.

The analyst believes that the candidate would have benefited if his running mate had been part of his ongoing regional campaign tour.

The running mate, he noted, is someone who could potentially ascend to the presidency should the party win an election and the president be unable to perform his functions properly.

He stated that it was prudent for the Vice President to choose his running mate and introduce him or her during his campaign tour so that Ghanaians could become acquainted with the candidate, assess them, and learn about their level of competence.

Speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, he explained that the delay in announcing a running mate is not politically advantageous.

"It is concerning that the Vice President has not selected a running mate. It would have been more impactful if he had included his running mate in his campaign tour.

"This would have allowed voters to familiarize themselves with the running mate, evaluate their qualifications, and decide if they are fit to serve in that capacity.

"This is crucial because the running mate is a potential president should the party win an election. Anything can happen to a president, and the running mate may need to take over.

"If you are effective as president and your running mate is not, it will reflect poorly on you. I would have preferred that he had chosen his running mate so that the individual could be properly introduced to the public," he said.

He further asserted that, in Ghana's political history, Dr. Bawumia appears to be the only vice president to receive such widespread support from the incumbent president.

He mentioned that President Akufo-Addo's endorsement of Dr. Bawumia to succeed him is an uncommon occurrence in Ghana's political landscape.

"The support that Vice President Bawumia is receiving from President Akufo-Addo is unprecedented. No vice president in our history has received such unequivocal support from a sitting president. This will undoubtedly benefit the Vice President," he added.

However, he was quick to add that the decision of who is capable of becoming the next president will ultimately be made by the Ghanaian electorate.

The 2024 general elections, he remarked, would be dynamic, marking the first time a ruling party has taken the challenge of breaking the eight-year cycle more seriously, while the opposition fields a candidate seeking to reclaim the seat after serving only one term.