Former Majority Leader and former Member of Parliament for the Suame Constituency, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has dismissed speculation that he is seeking to become the running mate of former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia ahead of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) next presidential campaign.

His comments come amid growing rumours that some senior members of the NPP are positioning themselves for key roles as the party prepares for the next general election.

Speaking in an interview with Kwesi Parker-Wilson on Oyerepa Breakfast Time, Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu firmly denied reports suggesting that he is interested in the running mate position.

“I am not in a competition with NAPO over the running mate position,” he stated.

The former lawmaker also revealed that he played a role in the selection of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, as Dr. Bawumia’s running mate for the 2024 presidential election.

According to him, he advised Dr. Bawumia as far back as 2022 to consider NAPO for the position, long before the official announcement was made.

“In 2022, I advised Bawumia to select NAPO as his running mate. NAPO was not even aware of it. So how would I be in competition with him?” he said.

Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stressed that the selection of a running mate is ultimately the prerogative of the presidential candidate and not a position that party members openly campaign for.

“I am not in any competition because nobody campaigns for the running mate position. It is the presidential candidate who, in his wisdom, chooses the person he believes is best suited for the role,” he added.

Dr. Bawumia selected Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, a former Education Minister and former Manhyia South MP, as his running mate for the 2024 presidential election. However, the NPP ticket was defeated by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the polls.