The Member of Parliament for Damango and a stalwart member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Hon. Samuel Abu Jinapor, has urged his party to focus on rebuilding and strengthening its structures rather than speculating on the vice presidential candidate for the 2028 elections.
Speaking on the sidelines of Parliament, Jinapor emphasised that the choice of a running mate is the sole prerogative of the presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and should not be rushed. “The choice of a running mate is a sole prerogative of the candidate. It is Dr Mahamudu Bawumia who will make that decision,” Jinapor said.
He explained that the Constitution provides for consultation with the National Council, but the Supreme Court has interpreted what consultation means, and Dr Bawumia will take views from all segments of the party and society.
Jinapor questioned the timing of the speculation, asking if it was not too early to be discussing the vice presidential candidate, considering the party had just concluded an election less than a month ago. “Isn’t it premature? I mean, we just had this election. It’s less than a month. And I think that our focus should be on reorganising our party, restructuring our party, and making sure that the horse, which Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is going to ride on into the election of 2028, which is the NPP horse, the NPP vehicle, the NPP machine, is fit for purpose,” he said.
He emphasised that the party’s energies should be focused on rebuilding and strengthening the party, putting strategies in place to make the NPP winnable in 2028, rather than speculating on the vice presidential candidate.
Jinapor also noted that it was surprising for anyone to suggest that the NPP ticket should be completed before the National Democratic Congress (NDC) elects its presidential candidate, as the running mate is supposed to complement the presidential candidate.
“This is a game of chess politics, a game of chess, you know, and the running mate is supposed to complement the presidential candidate. So even whilst the NDC have not elected their presidential candidate, you then jump the gun and you go and go and select a vice presidential candidate. When the vice presidential candidate is supposed to complement the presidential candidate, you will be on the defensive, and you will be exposed,” he explained.
He added that the choice of vice presidential candidate would depend on who the NDC selects as their presidential candidate, as the person would be required to complement Dr. Bawumia.
Jinapor urged party members to focus on supporting Dr Bawumia to lead the party through the necessary reforms and to put the party together, rather than speculating on the vice presidential candidate.
“I think the question of a running mate should not even come up now at all. I think we should focus on rebuilding the party. We should focus on supporting the candidate to lead us through these very important reforms that we require in our party. And we should focus on supporting the candidate to put the party together and put strategies together to make the NPP winnable in 2028,” he said.
Jinapor concluded that the question of a vice presidential candidate can wait and will come further down the road, not now.
Source: metrotvonline.com
