Political analyst and writer Krobea Kwabena Asante has dismissed what he describes as a “cheap lie” aimed at discrediting the electoral performance of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), in the 2024 elections.
According to Kroabea Asante a known NPP sympathizer, recent claims that Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia is the only NPP presidential candidate to have won fewer parliamentary seats than the party are historically inaccurate and politically motivated.
In a statement posted on social media, Asante expressed disappointment over what he called an “internal propaganda” campaign being circulated by NPP members who have never supported Dr. Bawumia.
While acknowledging that he is currently on a self-imposed break from internal politics, he said the circulation of falsehoods warranted a factual response.
“It is a lie that Dr. Bawumia is the only candidate who garnered fewer seats than the seats we have in Parliament as a party,” Asante stated. “I saw an MP who has never been for Dr. Bawumia and will never be for Dr. Bawumia share this misinformation.”
Asante proceeded to cite historical data from previous election years to challenge the claim: In 2004, then-President John Agyekum Kufuor won 127 seats out of 230, while the NPP secured 128 parliamentary seats, excluding some constituencies where the NPP did not field candidates due to strategic alliances with members of the Convention People’s Party (CPP).
In 2008, then-candidate Nana Akufo-Addo won 108 seats in the first round and 97 seats in the runoff, compared to the party’s 107 parliamentary seats in contested constituencies.
In 2012, Akufo-Addo secured 116 seats, while the NPP won 123 seats in Parliament. In 2016, Akufo-Addo won 152 constituencies, with the NPP achieving 169 parliamentary seats.
“These facts show that disparities between a presidential candidate’s performance and the party’s parliamentary results are not new or unique to Dr. Bawumia,” Asante emphasized.
He argued that such differences can arise from a variety of strategic and regional dynamics during elections and should not be used to attack Dr. Bawumia’s candidacy unfairly.
“I am still on internal politics break and will resume, God willing, in July to join the smart youngsters leading the agenda for Dr. Bawumia,” he added.
As the NPP intensifies its preparations for the 2024 elections, intra-party unity remains a pressing issue. Political observers have noted that internal divisions, if left unchecked, could undermine the party’s chances at the polls.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
