Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia made his first public appearance on Saturday, attending the funeral of the mother of the Member of Parliament for Manso in the Ashanti Region.
Dr Bawumia, who had been out of the public eye since conceding defeat in the 2024 presidential election was mobbed by the mourners.
He was accompanied by a host of notable figures, including the Regional Chairman of NPP, Antwi Boasiako aka Chairman Wontumi, former Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei Mensah, and other party gurus and some MPs such as Dr. Gideon Boako.
The atmosphere was electric, with a large crowd mobbing Dr Bawumia and chanting his name, calling on him to run again in the next election.
The scene was reminiscent of a campaign rally, with Dr Bawumia’s security team struggling to make way for him through the thick crowd of supporters.
The outpouring of support is a clear indication that he still commands significant popularity within the NPP and among the general public.
His decision to concede defeat in the 2024 presidential election, which saw John Dramani Mahama emerging victorious, was seen as a gracious move.
However, it appears that Bawumia is not ready to hang up his political boots just yet.
With the New Patriotic Party, NPP awaiting the outcome of the 2024 election defeat report, Dr Bawumia is reportedly gearing up to contest the next flagbearership race of the party.
In the Ashanti region, a committee tasked by Chairman Wontumi has found that Dr Bawumia was not the cause of the NPP’s loss in the region.
Additionally, the NPP flagbearer has commissioned his own special committee to investigate the cause of his defeat, the results of which are expected to inform his decision on whether to run again.
While Dr Bawumia’s supporters are eagerly calling on him to contest the next flagbearership race, he will face stiff competition from other notable figures within the NPP, including Bryan Acheampong, Kennedy Agyapong, and Dr. Yaw Adutwum.
With the NDC’s John Mahama not contesting the next election, the stage is set for a thrilling contest within the NPP.
-BY Daniel Bampoe
