Kwesi Botchway Jnr, a private legal practitioner, has presented a compelling case for why Dr Bawumia remains the most qualified, capable, and winnable candidate to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) into the 2028 general elections.

In a detailed statement targeting delegates, stakeholders and the rank and file of the NPP ahead of Saturday, January 31 presidential primary, he emphasised that the NPP’s 2024 electoral loss should not be unfairly pinned solely on Dr Bawumia, noting that history has repeatedly shown that defeats are part of political contests.

“It happened in 1992 after Prof Adu Boahen led us; in 1997 after Candidate Kufuor lost in 2009 and 2013 after Candidate Akufo-Addo lost and it is happening now in 2025 after Candidate Bawumia lost in 2024,” he said, stressing that such setbacks are normal and often politicized by opponents and internal critics.

Condemnation

Botchway condemned the use of offensive language, insults and personal attacks against Dr Bawumia, including those targeting his family.

He highlighted multiple internal and external reports, the Ashanti Regional Report, the Prof Oquaye Report, the Konrad Adenauer Report, Musah Danquah’s Global Info Analytics and university-led inquiries which all pointed to structural, governance and campaign-related issues as the root causes of the 2024 defeat, rather than ethnicity or religion.

“The assertions that Dr Bawumia’s northern origin and Muslim faith caused the loss are baseless,” Botchway stated.

He reminded the party that in areas where some aspirants claim Dr Bawumia was disadvantaged, the former Vice President still outperformed Christian parliamentary candidates in the same constituencies.

The legal practitioner also addressed claims that Dr Bawumia’s ethnicity and religious background had undermined his electoral appeal, noting that these assertions are unsubstantiated.

He highlighted that none of the major inquiries, including both local and international assessments, found evidence supporting claims that Dr Bawumia’s identity as a northerner and a Muslim was a significant factor in the party’s defeat.

Paradoxic

Paradoxically, Botchway noted, constituencies represented by Christian parliamentary candidates in some regions still gave higher votes to Dr Bawumia than to their parliamentary counterparts, underscoring the flawed nature of such claims.

Contextualizing the party’s 2024 defeat, Botchway explained that external factors such as the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, alongside domestic economic challenges, were the primary drivers of electoral outcomes.

He emphasised that issues such as high inflation, rising interest rates, delayed infrastructure projects, and unemployment were systemic challenges affecting the government, and that no presidential candidate, regardless of affiliation, could have reversed these trends entirely.

Matters

He also highlighted internal party matters, including late primaries, monetization of internal elections, and mismanagement of resources, as further contributors to the loss. According to Botchway, Dr Bawumia’s qualifications, experience and vision uniquely position him to lead the party and the nation.

“Having served as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, as a Country Director at the African Development Bank and as Vice President for eight years, Dr Bawumia possesses deep expertise in governance, finance, and economic policy,” the lawyer mentioned.

Botchway underscored the former Vice President’s record of innovation, citing initiatives such as drone deliveries for medical supplies, the digital address system, mobile money interoperability, and the establishment of hospitals under Agenda 111. He also highlighted Dr Bawumia’s role in stabilizing the cedi, increasing gold reserves, and improving Ghana’s international reserves.

Consistency

Lawyer Botchway reminded delegates that political consistency has historically been rewarded in Ghana.

Drawing on the experiences of Kufuor, Akufo-Addo, John Evans Mills, and John Dramani Mahama, he argued that new faces rarely win the presidency on their first attempt.

Dr Bawumia, having secured 42 percent of the vote in 2024, has a stronger foundation than any new contender and is therefore best positioned to reclaim victory for the NPP in 2028.

He emphasised that while money is necessary in campaigns, no single individual can fund the entire party’s efforts and praised Dr Bawumia for his quiet but substantial contributions to party activities and elections over the years.

Unity

He further called for unity within the party, urging members to focus on issues rather than engage in personal attacks.

He reminded delegates that the NPP’s roots trace back to the original United Party, which succeeded through strategic alliances and selfless leadership, citing S.D. Dombo’s sacrifice in mentoring future leaders.

Botchway asserted that Dr Bawumia embodies the vision, competence, integrity, and experience required to lead Ghana, and delegates should support him not for his ethnicity or religion but because he is unequivocally the best-prepared candidate for the 2028 elections.

“Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is not just one of the Presidential Candidate hopefuls of the NPP. He is the one with the pedigree to lead. Let us keep faith with him, just as we have done with JA Kufuor and Nana Akufo-Addo,” Kwesi Botchway Esq. further entreated delegates of the NPP.

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