A Senior Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante, has advised the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the flagbearer, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, to promptly announce the running mate for the upcoming 2024 general elections.
While acknowledging the necessity for thorough and inclusive consultations before finalizing the selection, Dr. Asah-Asante stressed the urgency of the situation.
He emphasized that time is of the essence as election fervor intensifies nationwide.
In an interview with Citi News, Dr. Asah-Asante emphasized the importance of striking a balance between thorough consultation and timely action.
He cautioned against prolonged delays, pointing out the risk of facing heightened scrutiny and challenges for the chosen candidate if announced too late in the campaign.
“The party must be mindful of the fact that time is not on their side. Yes, you want to consult broadly but you can’t spend all your life on that. By now, they should be out with a candidate who has all the qualities that they want so that it doesn’t delay the campaign unnecessarily.
“If you wait, the issue is that you bring the person in, then the person now comes to face with the campaign already set in motion. People will now want to scrutinize the person, they will want to assess the person, and they will want to throw all manner of things at the person and that is the best means by which you can see how best you can shepherd your candidate and then prepare him/her for the task ahead.
“I think the delay is becoming too much. I think the party must quickly come out with a running mate.”
Meanwhile, the opposition National Democratic Congress’ flagbearer, John Mahama, has revealed Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang as his running mate for the upcoming elections.