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2024 Showdown: Can NAPO Conquer Naana Jane?
The selection of a vice-presidential candidate is a strategic move that can significantly influence a campaign’s success.
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A running mate must complement the presidential candidate’s strengths and address their weaknesses while also appealing to key voter demographics and geographic regions.
Additionally, the choice must withstand intense public and media scrutiny, as any perceived misstep or controversy can have far-reaching consequences for the campaign.
The running mate also needs to align with the presidential candidate’s vision and policy goals while possessing the experience and qualifications to assume the presidency if necessary.
This decision is further complicated by the need to foster party unity and appease various factions within the political party.
Given these complexities, selecting a running mate is not merely a matter of personal preference but a critical strategic decision that requires careful deliberation and thorough vetting.
The chosen running mate can either bolster a campaign’s prospects or become a liability.
What then can be said of the Bawumia and NAPO ticket and the John and Jane ticket?
In this article, The Ghana Report political desk seeks to bring to the fore the strengths and weaknesses of the candidates and all the controversies surrounding their nomination.
Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO is the running mate to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang is the running mate to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama.
Gender Card
But beyond this, let’s look at how the gender card will come into play since the NPP Flagbearer has Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh as his running mate.
The 2021 population and housing census shows that Ghana has a population of 49.3 per cent males and 50.7 per cent females.
Critics are of the view that this does not favour NAPO since the female population surpasses that of the males, giving Naana an upper hand in appealing to the female voter constituency.
Also, many, including gender advocates described her nomination as a game-changer in the political landscape, being the first woman to be nominated to the high office.
Chants of the gender barrier being broken, history being made, historic day for women’s empowerment and democracy in Ghana were on the lips of the party faithfuls and the ordinary Ghanaian.
Her nomination was described as unprecedented by Ghanaian Gender Advocates as they had pledged to work towards a female president or vice president by 2030. This vision is in tune with the framework of the UN Commission on the Status of Women’s (CSW59) reinvigorated targets for the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Unlike Naana who received a rousing welcome from all divides, the males were silent for very obvious reasons. This was not the first time a male would act as the running mate to a presidential candidate.
The R-R Card
The R-R card is what we call the Region or Royal Card. NAPO, a royal from the Ashanti Region and Naana, a native of the Central Region.
Historically, the Ashanti Region is the stronghold or the World Bank of the NPP, as the majority of their votes have consistently emanated from this region.
Political analysts say the decision to choose NAPO as running mate means the party will go to the polls with an energised base.
Election watchers predict an 85 per cent win for the NPP in the Ashanti Region, coupled with favourable results from the Eastern and Central Region could be enough to ensure Dr Bawumia wins the poll come December 7, 2024.
Also, being a member of the royal family means he has a great connection with the natives, thereby expanding their percentage of votes from 77% in the 2020 elections to 85-90%, leading to a possible victory.
Without a shred of doubt, the selection of NAPO as running mate has great significance on the fortunes of the party and the country as a whole.
His result-oriented personality and decisiveness make him a perfect fit for Dr Bawumia.
During the unveiling ceremony, the NPP flagbearer described NAPO as a “problem solver and a generational thinker.”
According to Dr Bawumia, this attribute would complement him hence his partnership with NAPO.
Naana, on the other hand, has her fortunes in her home region, Central Region, still in limbo.
For instance, the 2020 presidential results showed that the then-NDC Flagbearer, John Mahama, garnered 524, 038 votes, thus 45.87% while the then-NPP Flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo secured 602,111 votes thus 52.71%.
From the results, Naana has a lot of work to do in her home region. The odds were not in her favour when some party members claimed she was much too reserved for the political arena.
Opening Statements
Both Naana and NAPO’s unconventional inaugural speeches as the vice-presidential candidates dominated news headlines for days.
One for good reason and the other for taking a swipe at a former president who no longer walked the face of the earth.
NAPO said, “I can boldly say that if the history of Ghana is told from 1957, we have never had a president that has helped Ghana more than Nana Akufo-Addo. I mean from 1957, even including your Kwame Nkrumah, none of them has protected Ghana and developed the country more than Nana Akufo-Addo.”
This statement sparked serious debate and reactions among Ghanaians, especially those who hold Dr Nkrumah in high esteem as one of the greatest presidents to grace the continent.
NAPO’s remarks have added to the perception that he is arrogant. People have said that only an arrogant individual would make such statements in public.
Others say that NAPO has tarnished his reputation and made himself unpopular with just one remark. His inaugural speech, expected to minimise the arrogant tag has worsened his plight.
Although Naana’s speech was the highlight of the evening for good reasons, not everyone loved Naana’s speech.
A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akomea, criticized Naana’s speech, describing it as full of poetry and politricks.
“I was struck by her poetry, but…where was the charm? What did she say that is so striking that we have never heard before?” Akomea asked.
Common Interests
Both Naana and NAPO are former education ministers, which makes an interesting conversation.
With education being a key aspect of campaign messages, having a candidate with rich experience, particularly with the implementation of the Free Senior High School policy, is a strategic move for Dr Bawumia’s campaign as they could taunt the NDC with their achievements.
In November 2020, then-Minister of Education Opoku Prempeh fired shots at former President and NDC Presidential candidate, John Mahama, over his comments that he started free Senior High School.
According to the NPP running mate, Mahama left Ghanaians with tonnes of challenges that crippled the education sector.
He also took a swipe at the then Education Minister and now Vice Presidential candidate of the NDC, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
According to him, Naana was the worst Education Minister in Ghana’s history.
However, the NDC says Naana’s sterling record as a former Minister for Education is a healthy mixture of innovative policy initiatives.
According to the NDC, she successfully championed many reforms such as the conversion of polytechnics into technical universities.
She also abolished the quota system at the Colleges of Education which led to enrollment increasing from 9,000 to 15,400 thereby creating more teaching opportunities for the youth.
Unique Personalities
Naana is admired for her charming personality and intelligence. NAPO, on the other hand, has been tagged as “arrogant”.
Many others like the NDC National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, say not even a bathe in the sea, would rid NAPO of arrogance.
According to Mr Gyamfi, the NPP running mate is “innately disrespectful, condescending and arrogant”.
A former Member of Parliament for the Buem constituency, Dr. Kwasi Ashaimah, also said without mincing words that nobody can defend the arrogance of Dr Opoku Prempeh.
The former legislator posited that no matter what his defenders will do, NAPO himself has demonstrated that he is arrogant, disrespectful, and lacks basic skills in interacting with others.
Mr Ashaimah referenced the refusal of the government to print textbooks for our basic schools and blamed it on NAPO.
But the NPP disagrees with this notion, with the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, vehemently opposing the arrogant tag.
“Some people have labelled you arrogant, but I raised you from childhood so I know you. You are not arrogant,” the Asantehene stated.
