Former Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said he remains committed to empowering New Patriotic Party (NPP) faithful and implementing a sustainable welfare system for delegates as he vies to lead the party into the 2028 elections.
Beyond the party, he said his message of job creation for the teeming Ghanaian youth remained a sacred promise to better the circumstances of the citizenry.
Dr Bawumia is one of the five men contesting Saturday’s election as the party begins early preparations for the 2028 general election.
“The delegates are responding with renewed zeal, seeing me as the prepared, unifying and winnable leader who can lead us back to government.
They appreciate the direct engagement, humility, and focus on the future, and many have expressed that this grassroots approach has reignited hope and commitment across the party,” he told the Daily Graphic in an interview.
Dr Bawumia was the party’s candidate in the 2024 elections after beating a field that contained 10 candidates initially, and later five in a second round.
Two of those who lost to him are in the current race.
Polls
With various polls putting him in pole position to win the contest comfortably, he looked beyond Saturday’s presidential primary and urged unity within the NPP.
“We are one family under the elephant symbol, and we must set aside differences to focus on rebuilding together, brick by brick, anchored in our core values of discipline, hard work, and putting Ghana first,” he said.
He said he had preached the message about ideas, vision, and policy direction “rather than personal attacks because negative campaigning only helps our opponents”.
During the 2024 general election, the former Vice-President ran a campaign that projected his contributions to the digitalisation of the Ghanaian economy, priding himself as the mastermind of many innovative ideas that transformed businesses in the country.
He is an economist and a one-time Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana.
Profile
But his profile within the party has soared beyond finance and figures; his image now a towering presence depicted by party stalwarts who have joined his campaign so far.
“I spearheaded ground-breaking initiatives in digitalisation, financial inclusion, and innovation that continue to benefit Ghana.
“I have national appeal, having campaigned extensively across every region, and I am already well known and recognised in even the remotest villages, something that gives the NPP a head start rather than starting from zero,” he said.
“My qualities include absolute respect for all humans of any class without discrimination, a unifying approach, vision, discipline, honesty, and a commitment to decorum,” he added.
With more than 80 per cent of the party’s 87 Members of Parliament, about 90 per cent of the party’s parliamentary candidates in the 2024 elections, and former ministers and deputy ministers openly campaigning for him, the job appears secure.
“I am the most prepared candidate, having worked with party grassroots as running mate for four elections and the flagbearer in 2024, and the most marketable with proven winnability.
I came close in a challenging election, and with the lessons learned and the vision that I have for Ghana, I am best positioned to secure victory in 2028,” he stated.
“As former Vice-President, I served loyally alongside the President for eight years, gaining deep executive experience in governance, economic policy, digital transformation and national leadership,” he said.
He added that he would leverage his smart ideas, drive a modern, data-driven campaign that reached voters effectively, including the youth; his unifying leadership to heal internal divisions, rally the party around shared values, and project a disciplined, issue-based image that contrasted with opponents.
Dr Bawumia said he would foster discipline, hard work, and organisation across all party structures, ensuring that no individual would be bigger than the NPP.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh