Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, a former vice president and the flagbearer of the 2024 New Patriotic Party (NPP), has blamed two main factors for the party’s defeat in the general elections of 2024: the National Cathedral project scandal and a dramatic spike in fuel prices just before the election. Speaking in Takoradi at the beginning of his nationwide Thank You Tour.
Dr. Bawumia addressed worries about the Mike Oquaye Committee report’s leaked conclusions, which implied that his religious activities might have had a role in the loss. He vehemently denied these allegations, maintaining that the true causes had less to do with religious or ethnic feelings and more to do with issues of government and the economy.
“The National Cathedral we were not able to complete after $58 million was sunk into it caused a lot of rage in the public,” he stated.
Dr. Bawumia clarified that the Cathedral’s unfinished condition, in spite of the large public investment, severely damaged public confidence and stoked popular discontent.
He also cited the abrupt rise in fuel prices, which occurred just three days prior to the election, as another important element that swayed popular opinion against the NPP.
“When I heard it, I thought it was a joke. The drivers were angry at us. So, people went to vote against us with anger,” he recounted.
Internal investigations, Dr. Bawumia stressed, verified that the party’s electoral defeat was not significantly influenced by religion or tribality.
“I am happy that there is no religious factor and tribal factor that caused our defeat,” he said.
During his speech, Dr. Bawumia also guaranteed the NPP supporters that young employment and job development would be given top priority in the upcoming NPP administration.
“I assure you that in the next NPP administration, you will be prioritised for jobs,” he pledged.
An essential aspect of the NPP’s post-election engagement plan, the Thank You Tour seeks to reestablish ties with the party’s grassroots supporters and get ready for a more robust comeback in subsequent elections.