Former President Kufuor Denies Endorsing Bawumia’s Bid To Lead NPP In 2024

• Ex-president has debunked reports that his kind words to Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia constituted an endorsement of his bid to lead the party as flagbearer
• JA Kufuor has clarified that all the presidential aspirants were close to him, hence he would not seek to cause division within the party by endorsing one of them prematurely
• He said the comments he made at a Father's Day event were made in the spirit of the celebration and should not be misconstrued as a support for the vice president's presidential ambitions

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has responded to what he calls “fake news” that he has endorsed Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia to lead the party.

The former president said his recent praise for the vice president’s loyalty had been misconstrued as an endorsement for his bid to be the flagbearer of the governing party.

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In a press statement clarifying the situation, the ex-president explained that the media had erroneously attributed his kind words at a Father’s Day event at the Peduase Valley Resort to Dr Bawumia as an endorsement.

“In the upcoming NPP flagbearership race, in order to achieve party unity and sustain it thereafter for the victory of the party in the 2024 elections, what President Kufuor expects from the party and political hierarchies are fair and un-engineered systems and processes that would lead to a fair selection of our next NPP flagbearer.

“This should be devoid of coercion and machinations so that the eventual-selected nominee, coming out of the uncompromised freewill of the voting delegates, can easily command the support and respect of all party faithfuls, and indeed, other Ghanaians sympathetic to our cause towards ‘breaking the eight’,” the statement clarified.

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The statement was signed by Dr Kwabena Osei-Adubofour, spokesperson and senior aide.

What Kufuor said about Dr Bawumia

YEN.com.gh reported previously that the former president eugolised Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for his loyalty, describing him as a son.

Speaking at the Father’s Day event in the Eastern Region, Kufuor said Bawumia has become like a son to him ever since he became a politician.

“Let me single out one person. He is also a father, but I can claim that he happens to be my son too, and that’s the vice president sitting right by me,” the 83-year-old was quoted in a report by Pulse News.

He added:

“In your narration [referring to a previous speaker], you said when the planners decided to invite the vice president, you learnt he had gone to the North for some duties, and you even doubted whether he would manage to come.

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“But you phoned him, and with his signature giggling, he said ‘if it’s JA Kufuor, I’m coming’. That’s so touching, very touching, but probably that’s how a son should behave towards a father. Sheer coincidence, but you may not know that I started being a father in 1963, and that happened to be the year the vice president was born.”

Source: YEN.com.gh