Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the former Majority Leader, has openly shared his anxieties leading up to the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Presidential Primaries.
He admitted that his apprehension was rooted in the potential for severe party divisions if internal conflicts were not adequately addressed. Hon. Mensah-Bonsu had previously advocated for a consensus approach to avoid the need for primaries.
Despite his belief that Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia would secure victory in multiple rounds of voting, he was concerned about the possibility of deepened disagreements from the primaries.
He noted, “I was confident Dr. Bawumia would win every time, but I feared the divisions that could arise. Alan Kyerematen was entering his fifth contest, and with President Akufo-Addo stepping down, I pushed for a consensus to prevent further rifts.”
In 2021, Hon. Mensah-Bonsu championed the idea of a combined ticket with Kyerematen as running mate and Bawumia as the flagbearer for the 2024 elections, believing it would strengthen the party and break the eight-year cycle.
However, his proposal did not materialize as numerous candidates emerged for the flagbearership.
In an interview with Kumasi-based FM, The Suame MP clarified that his proposal for the Alan-Bawumia ticket was intended to unite the party’s top contenders, not to exclude other potential candidates.
He had suggested to party elders, including Kwadwo Mpiani and President Kufuor, that they encourage a collaboration between the two leading figures for the benefit of the party, without imposing any specific roles.
