Ing. Kwadwo Twum Boafo, Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Intelligence Centre, has described the ‘Thank You’ tour led by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate for the 2024 elections, as a calculated attempt by Bawumia and his supporters to undermine potential rivals in the party’s flagbearer race and tilt the contest in his favor.

During a panel discussion on the Friday, April 2, edition of Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana program, Ing. Twum Boafo drew parallels between Dr. Bawumia’s post-election maneuvers and those of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the past.

He illustrated how Nana Akufo-Addo employed similar strategies to outmaneuver his competitors and establish himself as the NPP’s leader.

According to Ing. Twum Boafo, Dr. Bawumia, a protégé of the former president, is adopting comparable tactics to weaken his rivals and secure another opportunity to contest for the presidency.

“Dr Bawumia is replicating what Akufo-Addo did. Beat possible contenders down into submission and let me be re-elected as flagbearer,” he said.

Ing. Twum Boafo, however, argued that instead of naming the tour ‘Thank You,’ Dr. Bawumia and the NPP should have opted for an ‘Apology Tour,’ as it would better reflect the circumstances.

“They should have labelled it an apology tour. He should apologize to us all for all he has done. What are you thanking us for? For forcing us to go down the depth of deprivation? He wants to come back? Come back and do what?,” he said.

The prominent National Democratic Congress (NDC) member asserted that Dr. Bawumia’s attempt to use the tour to promote himself will prove ineffective, as Ghanaians have become discerning and can see through such tactics.

According to him, Dr. Bawumia had eight years to demonstrate his presidential credentials and impress Ghanaians. Instead, he was a central figure in a government that inflicted significant hardships on the populace.

“What is different now is that Ghanaians are very very wise to what the NPP did in the eight years that they were in power. Ghanaians are wise to the lack of leadership that Bawumia showed in the eight years that he was there. The dereliction of duty that the vice president did,” he said.