Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, former Vice President of Ghana and the 2024 presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has issued a formal apology to party members following a resounding defeat in the 2024 general election.
Speaking at a gathering in London, Bawumia acknowledged strategic missteps and miscalculations that, he said, contributed to the party’s poor showing at the polls. “The NPP did a lot of work, there’s no doubt about that,” Bawumia said. “But we did not get everything right. We got quite a few things wrong, and I think that, on my own behalf and on behalf of the party, I apologise to all of you for us not getting the figures right.”
The conciliatory remarks come as the NPP reels from a historic electoral setback. In the presidential race, Bawumia garnered 4,657,304 votes, or 41.61%, falling decisively to former President John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who secured 6,328,397 votes, or 56.55%.
The loss extended beyond the presidential level. In parliamentary contests, the NPP suffered steep declines, capturing just 88 seats compared to the NDC’s commanding 183-seat majority in the 9th Parliament—a seismic shift in Ghana’s political landscape.
In the aftermath of the election, the party commissioned a 12-member investigative committee, chaired by former Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Oquaye, to examine the causes of the defeat. While the panel has since submitted its findings to party leadership, officials have withheld the report from public release, stating that its contents are meant for internal review only.
Still, Bawumia struck a hopeful tone, suggesting that the defeat could serve as a turning point. “By the grace of God, if we are given another opportunity, we will get many things right, because we have learnt the lessons that will guide us forward,” he said.
The NPP, once buoyed by strong economic credentials and reformist momentum, now faces the challenge of rebuilding its base and regaining voter trust in a sharply changed political environment.
Source:TheDotNews