Former Vice President and 2024 Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia

A former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has reiterated his unwavering support for the party’s 2024 Flagbearer and former Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, despite the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 general elections.

In an exclusive interview with Accra-based Asaasepa Radio on Monday, June 16, 2025, according to dailyguidenetwork.com, Blay acknowledged that the party leadership holds the authority to choose who will lead the NPP into the 2028 Election.

However, he maintained his confidence in Dr Bawumia, stressing that in his view, Bawumia remains the most suitable candidate to lead the party into the next electoral cycle.

Blay further expressed his belief that, if given the mandate, Dr Bawumia would perform exceptionally well, particularly in steering the economy.

He added that he is confident in Bawumia’s ability to diligently manage both economic affairs and overall governance.

“I think Dr Bawumia’s leadership is good. He will do very well, in terms of managing the economy and governance. I think I will put my bet behind him. Bawumia ticket is good. It was good in 2024 and it’s still good today, I still believe in the Bawumia ticket,” he said.

Commenting on the NPP’s loss in the 2024 Election, Freddie Blay noted that the party struggled with internal organisation and that several things didn’t go as planned.

However, he emphasised his continued faith in Dr Bawumia and expressed confidence that the party would regroup and reposition itself effectively to secure victory in the 2028 elections.

“I think we didn’t galvanise our people well and things went haywire, and that is why we didn’t win. I still have faith in him, and I think that if we do our reorganisation very well, this time, it will be easier for us to win,” he stated.

Freddie Blay also stated that Ghana remains a secular state where religious beliefs and affiliations have never influenced the selection of presidential candidates.

He firmly rejected suggestions from some quarters that Dr Bawumia’s religion played a role in the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 general elections.

He attributed the loss to a range of factors, including voter apathy, and acknowledged that the party fell short in key areas, arguing that it would have been in the nation’s interest to retain the NPP in power, citing what he described as a stronger performance under President Akufo-Addo's leadership, as compared to the alternative offered by the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The NDC, he added, in his view, has yet to demonstrate its capability to deliver on its promises.

He, therefore, urged party members to refrain from assigning blame to individuals and instead focus on rebuilding unity and reenergizing the party’s base in preparation for a comeback in the 2028 Election.

“I didn’t see the defeat coming and felt things were going to be bright. We thought Ghanaians would understand the situation due to the work the NPP government did. Nana Addo did well. This is human science and not physical science. Even if you do very well, people could vote against you. Expectations were high.

"The whole party failed and couldn’t carry members along, but these are all post facto factors,” dailyguidenetwork.com quoted him as having said.

VKB/AE