Friends of Bawumia, a dedicated political association formed to rally support for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has appealed to the leadership, grassroots, and sympathizers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to give Dr Bawumia a second opportunity to lead the NPP into the 2028 general elections.

A statement made available to the Ghana News Agency and signed by Mr Winfred Kofi Gidiglo, the National Chairman, said the appeal was rooted not only in loyalty or sentiment.

It said it was also rooted in strategic realism, historical precedence, and the urgent need to consolidate the party rather than divide it further in these critical times.

The statement said history had repeatedly shown that the path to presidential victory in Ghana, especially within the party, had never been a one-time sprint, but a journey that required perseverance and consistency.

“In 2007, former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo won the NPP’s presidential primaries after a fiercely contested battle with Hon. Alan Kyerematen”

“Despite the internal friction and expenditure, Nana Addo still emerged victorious in subsequent primaries, ultimately becoming our party’s candidate again in 2010, and once more in 2014, when Alan Kyerematen no longer contested,” it added.

The statement stressed that it was on his third attempt, that he finally led the NPP back to power.

It said similarly, former President John Agyekum Kufuor contested twice against Nana Addo during the NPP’s internal elections in the 1990s.

It said, however, when Nana Addo chose not to contest him again in 2000, Kufuor led the NPP to victory in the general elections, defeating the late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills.

“These precedents affirm a simple truth that no one has ever won the presidency on their first attempt,” it added.

The statement said it takes resilience, national acceptance, party unity, and time-tested trust to win the Ghanaian electorate.

It said the party was currently in opposition, and as such, it was imperative that they managed their limited resources wisely.

It said another long, bruising, and expensive internal flagbearership contest would not only drain them financially, but further weaken an already shaken base following the 2024 loss.

The statement said Dr Bawumia, having led the party into the 2024 elections, remained their best chance moving forward because he has been tested.

It added that he has been exposed to the electoral terrain, built a national brand, cultivated strong grassroots support, and most importantly his social capital stretches across religious, regional, generational, and economic lines.

The statement said in 2028, the opposition NDC was expected to present a new candidate, which meant that their candidate would be embarking on their first national test, trying to win over Ghanaians for the first time.

It said by contrast, Dr Bawumia has already done the groundwork, known, understood, and crucially trusted by many across the country.

It added that to present a fresh candidate in 2028 would be a dangerous political experiment for the NPP, effectively setting the party back to square one.

The statement said the aftermath of the 2024 elections had left fractures within their ranks, such that rekindling the flames of internal rivalry through another contentious flagbearer race risked deepening those cracks.

“Let us rebuild and present a unified front to the Ghanaian people”

“Let us choose continuity over conflict and give Dr Bawumia the chance to finish what he started for the good of our party and for the future of Ghana,” it stressed.