The Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Haruna Mohammed, has dismissed suggestions that the party is positioning former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as a default flagbearer ahead of the 2026 presidential primaries.

Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Monday, June 23, Mr. Mohammed responded to criticisms that the party is giving Dr Bawumia an unfair head start, including his role in leading the NPP’s post-election “Thank You” tour and the scheduling of the primaries in a way that might disadvantage other contenders.

“I can tell you on authority that the leadership of our party is not, and would not, and never will make Dr. Bawumia a rubber stamp to any person,” he stated.

He explained that the former Vice President was not handpicked to lead the tour, rather, it was a decision of the National Council to conduct the Thank You tour jointly with the national party for the first time, a move aimed at building bridges and fostering unity within the party after the 2024 elections.

“This was the first time that the Thank You tour has been done together with the National Party. It has always been done by presidential candidates who have run elections in that particular election year,” he said.

Mr. Mohammed stressed that the tour was not designed to benefit Dr. Bawumia politically, but was a strategic move rooted in the party’s collective decision-making process to rebuild cohesion and prepare for 2028.

He reaffirmed the party’s commitment to fairness in the flagbearer race, noting that all contenders will be given equal opportunity to campaign and engage the grassroots when nominations open.