I watched an interview yesterday on TV3 featuring Ernest Owusu Bempah, and I must say I was completely disappointed by his comments. In the interview, Owusu Bempah claimed that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presented a bad candidate for the 2024 elections and suggested that moving forward, the party must consider a different candidate. 

Let me remind Owusu Bempah that if Dr. Bawumia was a bad candidate, it is the then government he Owusu Bempah found himself in as one of the CEOs, where he was appointed and served under President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration, particularly at Ghana Gas. So, if he believes the government was bad and its candidate, then he must take a long, hard look in the mirror. He was part of what caused our downfall, and truthfully, many of us at the grassroots have no admiration or respect left for him. He is one of the reasons we lost so miserably in the 2024 elections.

Dr. Bawumia was not the President. He did not make the appointments of the past appointees. He did not select the ministers, board chairs, or CEOs. Most of his advice was ignored, and yet, he is the one being blamed? No, we the grassroots will not allow that. Any attack on Dr. Bawumia is an attack on us.

I am a polling station chairman, and I voted for Dr. Bawumia in 2024. I have no regrets, and if given the opportunity again, I will proudly vote for him. Despite the challenges and bad governance, we associated with, Dr. Bawumia still managed to secure 41% of the votes. That is a testament to his personal integrity, credibility, and connection with the Ghanaian people.

If Dr. Bawumia was a bad candidate as Owusu Bempah claims, then what about the many MPs who also lost their seats? Were they bad candidates too? Or do we admit that the general dissatisfaction with the NPP government affected all our candidates, from the presidency to the parliamentary level? We need to stop shifting blame and start taking responsibilities. Dr. Bawumia was not the problem. The problem lies with individuals like Owusu Bempah, whose arrogance and selfish actions made the party unattractive in the eyes of the people.

We, the polling station executives, still believe in Dr. Bawumia. He has our trust and support. We will stand by him and give him another chance to lead the party. If we truly want to rebuild the NPP, it starts with honesty and accountability, not scapegoating and selective criticism.

Enough is enough.

Richie

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