Former Vice President and 2024 New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has cited economic missteps and governance controversies as key reasons for the party’s loss in the 2024 general elections.
Speaking in Takoradi at the launch of his nationwide “Thank You Tour,” Dr. Bawumia addressed recent reports stemming from the findings of the Mike Oquaye Committee, which had been tasked with reviewing the party’s electoral defeat. The reports suggested that his perceived religious leanings may have influenced the election outcome. However, Bawumia strongly rejected these claims.
Instead, he pointed to the unfinished National Cathedral project and a last-minute spike in fuel prices as the real factors that eroded public confidence and cost the party critical votes.
“The National Cathedral, which remained incomplete despite $58 million of public funds being spent, generated widespread anger and significantly damaged our credibility with voters,” Dr. Bawumia stated.
He also highlighted the sharp increase in fuel prices just days before the election as another turning point.
“Three days before election day, fuel prices shot up. When I first heard it, I thought it was a joke. But it wasn’t. The increase enraged drivers and commuters, many of whom made their frustration known at the polls,” he explained.
Dr. Bawumia reiterated that the Mike Oquaye Committee’s report found no evidence that religious or tribal issues influenced the election outcome.
“I’m relieved that the report shows our defeat wasn’t due to religious or tribal factors. It was about economic realities and policy decisions,” he concluded.
