The former Member of Parliament (MP) for New Juaben South constituency, Mark Assibey-Yeboah has explained the political impact of Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia on the political fortunes of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The one-time chairman of Parliament's Finance Committee said in an interview that Bawumia has paid his dues to the governing NPP and has amassed enough experience to succeed his boss, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Bawumia's impact on NPP's votes in north

At the level of the party, he outlined the impact of Bawumia in boosting the NPP's fortunes in winning parliamentary seats over the years. “I think he has paid his dues,” Assibey-Yeboah said.

“When we look at how our numbers have gone up in the Northern Region, we are at par with the NDC. Each of the parties has nine seats.

"Even in the Savannah Region, we [NPP] have four seats, whereas they [NDC] have three. In North East, we have three and the NDC has four. Overall, in the three Northern regions, the NPP has 16 and the NDC has 15,” he said on the Accra-based Asempa FM on Tuesday (24 January, 2023).

Assibey-Yeboah recounted how the NDC had previously dominated the NPP in terms of seats in the north. “There was a time that we [NPP] had three seats but now we have 16 and the NDC has 15 [in] the old Northern Region, as it were.

“He has done his bit. Even though the delegates will decide … for me, when I look at his CV, I think that he will be a good president. I think that with the kind of CV that he boasts of if given the nod, he will win,” Assibey-Yeboah added.

NDC, NPP gear up for 2024 elections

Both the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the NPP are expected to elect their flagbearers ahead of the keenly-awaited 2024 elections.

On the part of the NDC, Mahama is seen as a frontrunner as he seeks a third successive bid as a candidate.

In the case of the NPP, aside from Alan Kyerematen (former Minister of Trade and Industry), Owusu Afriyie Akoto (former Minister of Agriculture), Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia (rumoured), Assin Central Member of Parliament Kennedy Agyapong and former General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong are some of the candidates expected to contest for the slot.

SARA/DO