Former Majority Leader in Parliament and Member of Parliament for Suame, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has urged delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to adopt a rigorous and principled approach when selecting the party’s presidential candidate for the impending 2026 primary.
In an interview on Wednesday, the veteran legislator emphasized that the choice of a flagbearer for the 2028 general elections should go beyond mere popularity and personal attacks.
He called on delegates to focus on essential leadership qualities, which he referred to as the ‘acid test’ for effective leadership.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu insisted that delegates should thoroughly evaluate the vision, competence, track record, and experience of all aspirants, as well as their character, humility, integrity, and mental resilience.
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“We are not just looking for a flag bearer; we are looking for a presidential candidate – someone with the experience and competence to lead a party and ultimately a country,” he stated.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu cautioned against selecting a candidate who lacks clarity and composure under pressure, noting that Ghana needs a leader with strong mental resilience and coherence.
The former Majority Leader also strongly refuted allegations made against former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, describing claims attributed to him regarding the health of the late Professor Albert Adu Boahen and his participation in the 1996 NPP primaries as false and fabricated.
“Let me state emphatically and unambiguously that those statements did not come from Dr. Bawumia,” he said.
He explained that neither Dr. Bawumia nor Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi) ever claimed that Professor Adu Boahen failed to contest the 1996 primary due to ill health.
According to Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the matter was unfairly extrapolated and weaponised, describing the attacks as ‘unacceptable’ and ‘untruthful.’
Addressing criticisms surrounding the NPP’s performance in the Bawku enclave during the 2024 general elections, the Suame MP said the party’s failure to win seats in the area is not unprecedented.
He noted that even under former Presidents J.A. Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the NPP at times failed to secure seats in the enclave, despite Kufuor being a sitting president at the time.
“So this is not the first time it has happened. To attribute it solely to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is to show a lack of understanding of the party’s history,” he stated.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu emphasized that the NPP has not abandoned the area and stressed that the party has won seats there in the past, describing attempts to blame the Vice President as most unfortunate and misleading.