The Bawumia campaign team has denied claims by Kennedy Agyapong that some members of the team attempted to bribe him to step down and be made the running mate to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Kennedy Agyapong during his Kumasi Showdown Walk on Saturday, September 30, 2023, alleged that he was approached by some elders in the camp of Dr. Bawumia to convince him to step down from the flagbearer race and instead partner Dr. Bawumia as a running mate.
He further alleged that he was also offered huge sums of money to step down but declined the offers in the interest of the party's delegates.
But Bawumia's team in a statement described the claims indicating that Kennedy Agyapong has been approached by the team as mere political gimmicks.
“We wish to state in unequivocal terms that the Bawumia Campaign team has not approached Kennedy Agyapong for such a running mate offer, nor have we assigned any member of the team to approach him for the same.” A portion of the statement reads.
“It is also not true as alleged by Kennedy Agyapong that Dr. Bawumia is collapsing the party through intimidation. The unity of our party has been of great concern to candidate Dr. Bawumia. It is in light of such concern that he refrains from responding to unwarranted attacks by others in the contest and has cautioned his supporters against responding to such provocative attacks. His strategy has been to persuade delegates to support his bid. This he does, by laying his vision for the party and country,” the statement stated.
The team maintained that the contest for flagbearer in the NPP is an internal one, and all actors, particularly the aspirants must be guided by the core values of the NPP, which include but are not limited to truth, decorum, and respect for one another.
Full statement below
The Bawumia campaign team has noticed with grave concern news report by Citinewsroom.com and other media outlets in which the Hon. Kennedy Agyapong is alleged to have indicated that some members of the Bawumia Campaign team attempted to bribe him to step down and be made the running mate to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
We wish to state in unequivocal terms that the Bawumia Campaign team has not approached Kennedy Agyapong for such a running mate offer, nor have we assigned any member of the team to approach him for the same.
It is also not true as alleged by Kennedy Agyapong that Dr. Bawumia is collapsing the party through intimidation. The unity of our party has been of great concern to candidate Dr. Bawumia. It is in light of such concern that he refrains from responding to unwarranted attacks by others in the contest and has cautioned his supporters against responding to such provocative attacks. His strategy has been to persuade delegates to support his bid. This he does, by laying his vision for the party and country.
As we have always maintained, the contest for flagbearer in the NPP is an internal one, and all actors, particularly the aspirants must be guided by the core values of the NPP, which include but are not limited to truth, decorum, and respect for one another.
Thank you.
--- Signed ---
Gideon Boako, Ph.D
Spokesperson