How Alan and Akoto Afriyie’s resignation poses a big headache to Bawumia

Five days after Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen announced his departure from the Akufo-Addo government, his colleague, Dr Akoto Osei Afriyie also announced officially that he is walking away from the government.

The decision by the two men ostensibly is to focus full-time on their respective bids of leading the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 elections.

For Alan Kyerematen, campaign mood has already been activated with an official announcement and a yet-to-start television show where he will be riding Ghanaians along on his aspirations to first win the NPP primaries and also win the elections in 2024.

There is already Kennedy Agyapong who has for the past six months been touring parts of the country with his Patriotism, Honesty and Discipline message.

Kwabena Agyepong who has the advantage of holding no official post in the government seemed to have a headstart with the campaign, having announced his decision way earlier than the others.

However, one obvious candidate of the much-anticipated NPP Presidential race is the Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia who despite not confirming yet, is from all indications expected to vie for the position.

Whiles he will be enjoying the incumbency advantage, Bawumia will be having another eye on the campaigns by his opponent who have now descended into full campaign mood and expected to be crisscrossing the country.

The resignations of Alan and Akoto Afriyie and expected political buzz in the coming months brings the question of at what point will Bawumia officially throw in his hat and give life to what is already known in the political and media space?

Aside the headache of deciding when it is proper to switch into full campaign mood, Bawumia also has the issue determining how his campaign will be run.

Both Alan and Akoto Afriyie could have held onto their positions and pursued their respective ambition but they both stepped down as they believed their actions could adversely affect the running of their respective ministries and the government as a whole.

These developments leave Vice President Bawumia with a difficult choice to make on whether to run his campaign as vice president or resign from the government and prosecute his campaign from outside the walls of government.

Whichever option he takes will prove decisive. If Bawumia decides to resign then there is the likelihood of him throwing away at least 12 months of his mandate as Vice President.

If decides to follow the precedent set by the late Alhaji Aliu Mahama and run his election bid while being vice president, there is the temptation of him being restricted by the demands of his position against making certain pronouncements which maybe viewed to be unfit for someone who holds such position. Time, like they say, will tell.