How can Bawumia offer running mate slot before flagbearer primaries? - Awuku hits Ken Agyapong

Prior to the New Patriotic Party's presidential election on November 4 and with the candidates heated up to give themselves a showdown, reports of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia negotiating with Kennedy Agyapong, an aspirant, to become his Running Mate have flooded the airwaves.

Ken Agyapong during his Kumasi Showdown Walk on Saturday, September 30, 2023, alleged that he was approached by some elders in the camp of Dr. Bawumia to convince him to step down from the flagbearer race and partner Dr. Bawumia as a Running Mate.

He further alleged he was also offered huge sums of money but declined the offers.

Reacting to the allegations, the Bawumia campaign team says no such meeting has happened stressing "we wish to state in unequivocal terms that the Bawumia Campaign team has not approached Kennedy Agyapong for such a running mate offer, nor have we assigned any member of the team to approach him for the same".

To add weight to the statement by the team, Sammi Awuku, the Director General of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), also says the Veep has, at no point in time, commissioned any person in his team or outside the team to solicit Kennedy Agyapong to be his Running Mate.

He stated that the appointment of a Running Mate can only happen after the New Patriotic Party has elected its flagbearer, adding the decision is between the flagbearer-elect and the National Council of the party.

"How can Dr. Bawumia choose a Running Mate when we are yet to hold our presidential election to elect a flagbearer?", he questioned.

"I can state in confidence that the Vice President, on his own, has not commissioned anybody", Sammi Awuku, in an interview on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo", maintained.

He added; "I can also speak on authority that, at no point in time, have we spoken about a Running Mate matter at campaign level whether private or public, whether official or unofficial."