By Alex Ababio
Bawumia has proposed Dr. Opoku Prempeh as his choice for running mate to Akufo-Addo, as confirmed by Ghanaian Watch. The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, consulted President Akufo-Addo regarding his selection for the upcoming December 7 presidential election. The consultation occurred last night at the Jubilee House.
During their meeting, Dr. Bawumia presented his preferred candidate to President Akufo-Addo. Our source mentioned that the President provided advice and expressed his thoughts but ultimately endorsed Dr. Bawumia’s decision.
The selected candidate is a 56-year-old medical doctor who graduated from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. “He was initially elected to Parliament in 2008 and successfully re-elected in 2012, 2016, and 2020. He served on Parliament’s Health Appointment and Defence and Interior Committees.”
“In 2017, President Akufo-Addo appointed him as Education Minister, and he presently serves as Energy Minister. His name is Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, also known as NAPO,” the source disclosed.
The decision to choose Dr. Opoku Prempeh as his running mate may have been influenced by a National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) survey and strong grassroots support. Earlier reports suggested that even after winning the NPP flagbearer race, Dr. Bawumia had already signaled his choice of Dr. Opoku Prempeh, indicating that the announcement was not unexpected.
Meanwhile, the NPP flagbearer is scheduled to meet with the party’s council to formally present his selection. Upon acceptance, an official announcement will ensue.
On June 15, 2024, a survey conducted by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) revealed that Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh was widely preferred among party members to be the running mate to NPP flagbearer Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia. The survey engaged 5,116 NPP delegates nationwide, including national, regional, constituency, and polling station executives.
According to the survey, Dr. Opoku Prempeh received 76.2% of the responses from the executives polled. Following him was Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education and MP for Bosomtwe, who garnered 10.16%.