A founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nyaho-Tamakloe has voiced concerns that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the party’s flagbearer for the 2024 December elections, is facing constraints in selecting his running mate.
Currently, Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh is the presumed choice for Dr. Bawumia’s running mate. However, in an interview on 3FM’s Sunrise on June 27, 2024, the party stalwart alleged that Dr. Bawumia is encountering difficulties in making an independent choice.
Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe asserted that Dr. Bawumia is being pressured to select Dr. Matthew Opoku-Prempeh as his running mate against his own preferences.
“Akufo-Addo in scene 1 picked his own running mate, scene 2 picked his own running mate. Why can’t Bawumia pick his own running mate? I know for a fact that he can’t pick his own running mate and I made mention of it almost seven months ago.
“If we are not careful, that alone can destroy our party. Bawumia is a nice gentleman but it’s not every gentleman who can be a good politician. I predicted that Bawumia will not be given a free hand because of their own interest to pick his own running mate, that has happened, he said.
Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe expressed skepticism about the party’s ability to secure victory in breaking the eight-year cycle, asserting that “those in control are not contributing positively” to the party’s prospects.
He further emphasized that President Akufo-Addo does not heed advice from founding leaders of the party.
He continued: “Kufuor listens but Nana Addo doesn’t listen. I’m saying it and I will say it again. Because if he listens then this hotel issue should not be an issue at all.”