Journalist Manasseh Azure’s book, The President Ghana Never Got, reveals that Dr. Bawumia initially wanted the former Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Professor Opoku Onyinah, as his running mate.
The book also notes that President Akufo-Addo was surprised to discover Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s choice of running mate, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (NAPO), through sources other than Dr. Bawumia himself.
According to the book, the Asantehene was informed of Dr. Bawumia’s running mate selection two months before President Akufo-Addo.
Three weeks before Bawumia officially informed the President, the Asantehene mentioned it to Akufo-Addo, who was taken aback to hear this from someone outside his close circle.
“The Asantehene had mentioned it to the President. Akufo-Addo was shocked to hear the news at his next door from someone about 250 kilometres away. But this was not accidental.”
Before Dr Bawumia’s official announcement to Akufo-Addo, he had already informed former President John Agyekum Kufuor.
Meanwhile, Akufo-Addo and his family had hoped for Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum to be the running mate.
Others were also interested as running mates including Napo as well as the late John Kumah who died from what others believed to be poisoning.
A week before Dr Bawumia informed Akufo-Addo, a poll commissioned by the President showed Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh as the top choice with 76.3%, far ahead of other contenders, according to the book.
The results of the poll were leaked to the media before the president received it which angered him.
According to the book, “The information about Bawumia’s choice of running mate was more secure with the Asantehene at the Manhyia Palace than in Akufo-Addo’s Jubilee House and the state intelligence agency he trusted to conduct the research.”
“When Bawumia reared his head, Napo told Bawumia that he had been preparing for a long time to contest, but since Bawumia was contesting, he would step back and support his candidacy. Bawumia was touched by that gesture and earmarked Napo for the running mate position.
“Napo was not the ideal candidate because of his perceived arrogance, but he checked all the boxes of political considerations, the foremost being that the running mate must come from the Ashanti Region.”
The book reveals that the news of Dr Bawumia’s running mate broke on the pro-NPP platform Asaase Radio the morning after a private meeting between him and the President.
This meeting was a private meeting with no third parties available.
Asaase Radio, owned by Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, the President’s cousin, attributed the information to “sources close to the office of the president,” which undermined Dr Bawumia’s consultations with the NPP council of elders.