Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s victory in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential primary was based solely on his personal strength and broad grassroots appeal, not the influence of any hidden party “system,” Dr. Ayew Afriye, Campaign Liaison Officer for the Bawumia campaign in the Ashanti Region, has said.
Addressing journalists at a news conference in Kumasi on the sidelines of the party’s presidential primary, Dr. Afriye dismissed claims that Dr. Bawumia benefited from internal party structures to secure his win.
He stressed that the outcome reflected the confidence party delegates have in the Vice President’s leadership and vision.
“Many times you hear people talk about a system behind him. There was no system,” Dr. Afriyie said. “As a former coordinator of his campaign, I made the argument that there was no system behind him. It was purely on his strength.”
According to Dr. Afriye, the results demonstrate that Dr. Bawumia, with what he described as “God on his side” and the support of a strong nationwide campaign team, earned the mandate to lead the party into the next electoral contest.
He called on party members at home and in the diaspora to rally behind the flag bearer and accord him the same respect given to previous party leaders.
Dr. Afriye emphasized that Dr. Bawumia, whom he referred to as the leader of the party, must be given full authority to manage party affairs ahead of the 2028 general elections.
“There is supposed to be absolute control of the party by the leader,” he said, adding that the primary was necessary to avoid a leadership vacuum as the party prepares for future electoral battles.
Dr. Afriye urged party supporters to give Dr. Bawumia their “total and unalloyed support,” noting that his victory was earned and should translate into unity and discipline within the party.
At the same time, he appealed to supporters of Dr. Bawumia to exercise restraint in their public statements and celebrations, calling for moderation, humility, and modesty in victory.
“This is a party victory, and the victory must be celebrated by all,” he said.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the Ashanti Region, Dr. Afriyie stressed that unity within the NPP would be critical to defeating the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in future elections.
He said the Bawumia campaign team in the region believes cohesion and mutual respect remain the party’s strongest assets.
“Unity is a hallmark,” he said, adding that the party “cannot afford to lose to anyone,” particularly in its traditional strongholds.
The news conference followed the NPP’s presidential primary, which selected Dr. Bawumia is the party’s flag bearer for the 2028 general elections.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
