New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North and a member of the party's National Council, Andy Appiah-Kubi, has criticised the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) for surveying the party's running mate selection.

The criticism follows the leakage of a poll by the NIB on June 19, which indicated that the Energy Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, is the preferred choice among party members to be the running mate to the NPP flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

The survey involved 5,116 NPP delegates from across the nation, including national, regional, constituency, and polling station executives.

However, Mr Appiah-Kubi, speaking in an interview with Joy News on Thursday, June 27, described the NIB’s survey as “very unnecessary.”

The Asante Akim North MP argued, “If I were the presidential candidate, I would even disappoint the national security and let them understand that they are busybodies in this matter. Nobody invited them to this.”

He questioned the appropriateness of a national institution like the NIB surveying a specific individual's nomination within a political party.

Read also: Opoku Prempeh not the right choice to partner with Bawumia – Appiah-Kubi

Mr Appiah-Kubi stressed that the NIB has more pressing responsibilities than conducting such surveys.

“Where in our NPP constitution does it state that at a time like this, the National Security will conduct a survey? Is it the case that anybody would have instructed them to conduct a survey?” he asked.

The MP also suggested that the survey was conducted to promote a particular candidate for the running mate position.

The NIB has been condemned by other persons including North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.