Alex Kaakyire Frempong, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, has urged Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, also known as Napo, the 2024 running mate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to work on his communication skills to dispel some negative perceptions about his character.
The senior political scientist said the royal background of Dr Prempeh, in addition to his professional and leadership exploits, had exposed him to some special treatments and qualities that have built his confidence and courage.
Assessing the candidature of Dr Prempeh in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Frempong, who is also the Executive Director of the Elections Research and Resource Centre, said Dr Prempeh must tone down some of his public utterances and level with the people.
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That, he added, would help to eliminate perceptions that may not reflect his character.
“His poise, the way he carries himself, resulting from his royal upbringing and the sort of professional things that he has done; so, he has confidence in himself. Here in Ghana, if you are like that people think you are arrogant,” he said.
“People are taking his confidence to be his arrogance, but you have to remember that he has hands-on experience and wherever he went, he did the work well.”
The NPP’s National Council on Thursday approved the nomination of Dr Prempeh, 56, as the Party’s Running Mate for the 2024 Elections.
Mr Justin Kodua Frimpong, NPP General Secretary, addressing the press after the meeting, described the decision as “a significant milestone”, which marked “the completion of the Party’s presidential ticket for the 2024 General Election”.
Mr Frimpong said the selection of Dr Prempeh affirmed the significance of the Ashanti Region to the electoral fortunes of the NPP.
He said the Bawumia-Prempeh ticket satisfied the religious, ethnic, geographic, and regional balancing required for complementing the qualities of the presidential candidate.
Mr Frimpong said apart from 2020 where the NPP secured less than 74 per cent of the votes from the Ashanti Region, the Party secured more than 74 per cent in three separate successful elections – 2000, 2004, and 2016.
“Having Ashanti as NPP stronghold is very important for the Party. In the last 16 years No Ashanti has been on the ticket for the NPP even though they had maintained the South-North pairing.
“This time round, you have the North on the ticket, so if you sidestep Ashanti, you will create problems for the party. Choosing an Ashanti is in order given the circumstances,” he said.
Mr Frimpong said voters should compare the track record of Dr Prempeh as Education and Energy Minister and decide based on his performance.
“Fortunately, both Napo and Jane have served the education sector. Voters should compare their track records and make their choice,” he said.