Friends of Bawumia Defend Former Vice President Against Criticism Over NPP’s 2024 Defeat
A pro-Bawumia group calling itself Friends of Bawumia has issued a strong rebuttal to recent comments made by the Deputy National Communications Officer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ernest Owusu Bempah, who blamed former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for the party’s loss in the 2024 general elections.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, the group described Owusu Bempah’s remarks as baseless and self-serving, accusing him of attempting to tarnish Dr. Bawumia’s image for personal political gains.
The group expressed dismay over Owusu Bempah’s widely circulated comments, in which he reportedly labeled Dr. Bawumia a bad candidate” and pointed to his candidacy as the reason for the NPP’s electoral defeat. The group countered that the claims were made without any supporting data or evidence.
Owusu Bempah’s outburst against Dr. Bawumia can best be described as self-serving and lickspittle service just to earn him the position of director of communications for Kennedy Agyapong’s campaign,” the statement read.
Referring to recent findings by Global Info Analytics, the group argued that Dr. Bawumia’s leadership was not the cause of the NPP’s defeat. The data, according to the group, indicates that Bawumia remains the most favored candidate within the party as it prepares for the 2028 elections.
The Global Info Analytics polls concluded that the NPP’s defeat has absolutely nothing to do with the candidature of Dr. Bawumia. In fact, he is the preferred candidate going into 2028,” the statement noted.
The group also referenced the pending release of a report by Rt. Hon. Aaron Mike Oquaye, which is expected to shed further light on the causes of the party’s defeat.
The group attributed the NPP’s 2024 electoral loss to internal divisions and the acrimonious nature of the party’s presidential primaries. It argued that these internal conflicts created apathy among the grassroots and handed the opposition critical leverage during the campaign period.
Key among the causes of the NPP’s defeat is the vicious campaign style adopted by some presidential candidates during the primaries. These forces sowed division and apathy, which were later weaponized by our opponents,” it stated.
Friends of Bawumia also urged the NPP leadership to address what it called “deliberate acts of impunity” by party members like Owusu Bempah, warning that such actions could deepen existing cracks within the party.
Dr. Bawumia has always encouraged unity and discouraged personal attacks among his supporters. But this continuous disrespect under the guise of party freedom is unacceptable,” the group said.
We are calling on the leadership of the party to call Bempah and his proxies to order.”
The statement from Friends of Bawumia comes at a time when the NPP is undergoing internal reviews following its defeat in the 2024 polls. As various factions within the party begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2028 elections, calls for unity, discipline, and evidence-based discourse are expected to shape the party’s future direction.