Former President John Agyekum Kufour has refuted claims that he has endorsed Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to lead the New Patriotic Party ahead of the 2024 General elections.
This comes after a media reportage suggested that the former head of state subtly endorsed Dr Bawumia for NPP flagbearer candidacy at the recent Peduase Valley Resort Father’s Day soiree and had totally misconstrued what had transpired.
However, Mr Kufour has said his statement that Dr Bawumia is a “true son,” has been misunderstood adding that there was nothing political about his remarks or even the occasion.
In a statement copied to the media, the former President said the comments he made about Dr. Bawumia is not an endorsement.
“In the upcoming NPP Flagbearership race, in order to achieve party unity and sustain it thereafter for victory of the party in the 2024 elections, what President Kufuor expects from the party and political hierarchies are fair and un-engineered systems and processes that would lead to a fair selection of our next NPP flagbearer.
“This should be devoid of coercion and machinations so that the eventual selected nominee, coming out of the uncompromised freewill of the voting delegates, can easily command the support and respect of all party faithfuls, and indeed, other Ghanaians sympathetic to our cause towards ‘breaking the eight’,” the statement clarifying issues stated.
Speaking at an event over the weekend to mark father’s day in the Eastern Region, Kufuor said Bawumia has become like a son to him ever since he became a politician.
“Let me single out one person; he is also a father, but I can claim that he happens to be my son too, and that’s the Vice-President sitting right by me,” the 83-year-old said. “In your narration, you said when the planners decided to invite the Vice-President, you learnt he had gone to the North for some duties, and you even doubted whether he would manage to come.”
“But you phoned him, and with his signature giggling, he said ‘if it’s JA Kufuor, I’m coming’. That’s so touching, very touching, but probably that’s how a son should behave towards a father. Sheer coincidence, but you may not know that I started being a father in 1963, and that happened to be the year the Vice-President was born.
