Your Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President
of the Republic,
Your Excellency Former President J.A. Kufuor (who I am
sure is watching from home)
Our National Chairman, Stephen Ntim,
General Secretary, Lawyer Justin Kodua
Chairman of the Council of Elders, Hon. Hackman Owusu
Agyemang,
National Council Members,
Members of the National Executive Committee,
Chairman and Members of the Elections Committee,
Ministers of State,
Hon. Members of Parliament,
Constituency Chairmen and Executives,
Members of our great party,
Our friends from the media fraternity,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Moments ago, the Electoral Commission of Ghana declared
the outcome of the 2023 NPP Presidential Primary. From the
certified results, I was pronounced the clear winner with
61% of the valid votes cast and I won in 14 out of 16 regions.
I therefore stand here with profound gratitude and humility,
having received the greatest honor of my life. The victory is
not mine but ours, from Bogoso to Bolga, from Axim to
Zarantinga, as the party has united and chosen a path to
walk in unison. As a wise man once said, ”a leader without
any followers is just a man out for a walk”, and I can proudly
say that I feel the support from each and every one of our
members today as the poll results show that these are the
highest percentage numbers for any first time presidential
candidate in the history of our party. We said it was possible.
I thank the Almighty God for making this emphatic victory
possible and for His unending blessings on me, the NPP, and
Ghana. It is a victory for the rank and file of our great party;
particularly to you, our hardworking grassroot members at
the constituency, electoral area and polling station levels.
You enthusiastically came out in your numbers when I
visited you throughout the country, and you rallied support
The significance of this victory is not lost on me. I am
humbled and overwhelmed. I attended Sakasaka primary
school in Tamale, Tamale Secondary School, Buckingham
University in the UK, Oxford University and Simon Fraser
University in Canada. However, It has not been an easy
journey. My work experience includes a stint as a farm byday worker (with my good friend Dr. Abass Awolu (who is
now in the civil service) during holidays in my secondary
school years, to driving a minicab (taxi) in London and
cleaning dormitories in Canada with friends like Richard
Oppong of Vancouver (as I studied for my PhD) to make ends
meet. God has brought me this far. I have always worked
very hard; as a student, a lecturer, a deputy Governor, a
running mate and a Vice President. And on this historic day,
I have been elected as Presidential Candidate and Leader of
the Great New Patriotic Party! That is just surreal. I thank
God for how far he has brought me. I have always believed
that with hard work, honesty, discipline and faith in God,
one can fulfill one’s potential. It is possible!
I congratulate the Electoral Commission of Ghana and the
Presidential Election Committee of the NPP, chaired by the
venerable Prof. Mike Ocquaye, for an excellent job done. I
also thank and congratulate the security services for an
excellent job done.
I also congratulate my fellow aspirants for participating in
the process and deepening the democratic credentials of the
NPP. Their energies, time, engagements, and resources have
contributed to energizing the base of the party and prepared
us all for the crucial battle of 2024.
Now let us join together. I am determined to work with all of
them and all our supporters to achieve the Party’s ambition
of “Breaking the 8”. That ambition requires the participation
of all the aspirants including Hon. Kennedy Ohene
Agyapong, Dr. Akoto Afriyie, Boakye Agyarko, Kwabena
Agyei Agyepong, Hon. Joe Ghartey, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku,
Addai Nimo and Kojo Poku.
There are those who would say we are divided as a party, but
I am here to tell them that it couldn’t be less true. The NPP
is a thriving democracy, where leaders are elected, not
anointed, and I salute my fellow competitors in this race for
partaking in this crucial process. While our plans may differ
at times, our visions are aligned – we share a passion for
Ghana and a firm conviction that the NPP is the only party
that can transform her. The New Patriotic Party will enter
2024 united and energised. We are ready to make a strong
and convincing case for another term in office with a fresh
mandate and a new leader.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the journey towards today has been
exciting and at the same time fraught with challenges. I
remember the auspicious day on the 14th of August, 2008,
when, through the visionary leadership of candidate Nana
Akufo-Addo, as he then was, and the NPP, I was outdoored
unto the uncertain political terrain of our nation.
I owe endless gratitude to President Akufo-Addo for his
decision in 2008 and his undying confidence in me in the
periods of 2012, 2016, and 2020. That singular, consistent
decision birthed this historic moment we are witnessing
tonight. I thank you, Mr. President, for believing in me.
When I left Takoradi in 2008 that fateful day, after my
outdooring as running mate to commence my journey in
politics, I had the difficult task of convincing a large part of
our country to accept the inclusive and truly national
character of the New Patriotic Party. I faced challenges in
communities that accepted the decades of propaganda that
the NPP was unwelcoming to them.
I persevered. I kept going back to those communities election
after election and with the same message that the NPP is
inclusive and ready to work with every Ghanaian,
irrespective of tribe and religion.
By the election of 2020, we made significant inroads into the
North. We also saw increased support throughout the
Zongos in the country. In the Volta Region, we continued to
grow in numbers.
It has been a remarkable but difficult journey of preaching
the inclusive nature of the New Patriotic Party to those who
have always viewed our great party with suspicion.
The doubts regarding the inclusive character of the NPP
dominated the discussion when I took the bold decision on
16th June this year, to file my nomination papers at the NPP
headquarters, to contest to be elected as the Presidential
Candidate of the party.
Some analysts were skeptical about my chances and others
confidently dismissed the possibility of the NPP electing a
candidate from the Northern part of the country. They
clearly misconstrued the party’s conservatism to mean
tribalism or regionalism. I was certain that they
misunderstood this great party and its values because I
knew our values of rewarding hard work and dedication
would triumph. I knew it was possible.
Today’s emphatic decision by the over 200,000 delegates of
the NPP, the grassroots of the party, reaffirms my knowledge
and belief that the NPP is truly an inclusive national party.
For a boy, born in the heartland of Tamale, with a hometown
in Walewale, to be elected as a Presidential Candidate of
Ghana’s largest political party, speaks to the character of the
party. The NPP is a party that is all-embracing, a party that
rewards hard work, loyalty, and commitment to its values!
The delegates, by today’s decision have resoundingly
dismissed any doubts that the NPP is inclusive and rewards
hard work. From virtually every constituency in the country,
the message has been the same: In the NPP we do not care
about where you hail from. We are tolerant of Ghana’s
religious diversity. We elect those deserving of leadership,
those who are capable of governing, and those with proven
traits of integrity, incorruptibility, and hard work.
With this resounding victory, the NPP is sending an
invitation to the men and women in Ga Mashie to join me in
this journey of possibilities. The NPP has a place for you.
To our men and women in the Zongos scattered across the
16 regions of Ghana, I say to you that in the NPP, it is
possible to rise to the top. I invite you to join me in this
journey of possibilities. The NPP has a place for you.
To the people of the Volta and Oti Regions, who may have
long doubted if you will have a place in the NPP. You have
been answered today. I invite you to join me in this journey
of possibilities. The NPP has a place for you.
To the people of the North, we have often been told that the
NPP is not our political home. Today, the delegates have
demonstrated absolute confidence in us. I invite you to join
me in this journey of possibilities. The NPP has a place for
you.
In the Ashanti Region, the citadel of NPP politics, I have been
shown unbelievable love and support. In the Eastern Region,
a fortress of our party, the support has been remarkable. In
Greater Accra, Western, Western North, Central, as well as
the three Bono and Ahafo Regions, I have received
tremendous support and love from the rank and file of the
NPP. In the Volta Region, where our party’s fortunes
continue to grow considerably, we expect to make more
progress in 2024. And the five northern regions (Northern,
Savannah, Northeast, upper east and upper west) , as they
have always done in past elections, joined the rest of the
country, to emphatically vote for the winning candidate.
I have won convincingly in each of these regions, and this
clearly demonstrates an energised party, with absolute
confidence in me. I thank each and everyone of you for this
massive support, which is also a reflection of the diversely
harmonious nature of the NPP. I do not take this support for
granted. I will work diligently everyday to justify your
decision.
While on the campaign, I became aware of a 3-day
demonstration staged by the young people of our country.
They had a simple message for the political class: they
needed more opportunities for work, they needed improved
living conditions, and they wanted improved public services.
These are legitimate demands and we cannot ignore them.
We will continue to work hard for the people of Ghana.
I have spent the last seven years assisting the President to
deliver on many of these demands to: create more
opportunities for the youth, improve the well-being of our
people, create inclusive access to secondary education and
healthcare, develop and expand the road infrastructure of our
country, create great convenience in accessing public
services wherever one finds himself or herself, and to
leverage technology to fast-track development.
Notwithstanding these achievements, the unforeseen global
economic downturn of the past three years, which derailed
the significant economic gains and impact we made between
2017 and 2021, has had a devastating effect on our economy
in the past two years, just as it has, on many other
economies in the world. This has affected many, including
government itself, the private sector and our households.
The cost of living has increased dramatically and Ghanaians
are feeling the pinch. I have seen the sacrifices Ghanaians
are making and the hardships many Ghanaians are going
through and I am as concerned as my fellow countrymen
and women.
By the grace of the Almighty God, together with the
remarkable sacrifices, patience and optimism of Ghanaians,
the work of economic recovery is underway: GDP growth has
picked up, consumer price inflation is on the decline,
exchange rate depreciation has dramatically slowed down
and the budget deficit as a % of GDP is on the decline). I will
continue to support the President to sustain these gains.
As a party, we must loudly and consistently tell the public
about our achievements, as well as our ongoing efforts. We
are ALL communicators, each one of us an NPP ambassador,
and we should be telling the NPP story in our daily lives as
well as on the public stage, every opportunity we get.
I am convinced that the NPP is the best option for the for the
progress and prosperity of the Ghanaian people. My own
core values – integrity, honesty, discipline, hard work and
inclusivity. My can-do attitude, my rejection of the tag of
impossibility, my passion to unleash the creative energies of
the youth, my compassion for the poor and vulnerable – all
of these align perfectly with the values with which our
forbears created this political tradition. So to the NPP rank
and file, I wish to say to you, today you have place your trust
in me. I shall not disappoint you.
Ghana has given me everything, every opportunity and
grace. I have dedicated my life to give back, and to serve this
wonderful country to the best of my ability, with every breath
in my body.
I have my own vision and my own priorities. Given the
opportunity by you the people of Ghana to lead, I shall
govern as my own man with guidance from God Almighty.
My vision is to build an inclusive, food self-sufficient, datadriven and systems based nation that will fully participate
in the global digital revolution to solve our problems and also
usher in a golden age of benefits from our natural resources.
I want to lead a nation that improves and unleashes the
talents of our youth and offers good jobs with good pay, and
sustainable growth with macroeconomic discipline.
As the Presidential candidate of the NPP, it would be my
commitment to the youth of Ghana. The talent of our youth
in various sectors such as information technology, robotics,
entrepreneurship, creative arts, sports, etc. is just amazing.
When we bring the talents of the youth together, we will
surely build a mighty nation. Together, we can transform
this nation and do even more, in many areas.
I therefore invite the youth, particularly the ‘GenZs to join
me in this journey of great possibilities. I have a place for
you.
As a technocrat, it was doubted if I would gain space in a
politics long dominated by career politicians. This victory is
an invitation to technocrats and professionals to join me in
this journey of possibilities. The NPP has a place for you. I
have a place for you.
With open arms I invite everyone watching or listening to me
tonight to join us on this journey of possibilities. Together
we can build this nation.
I am encouraged by the ingenuity and the can-do spirit of
the Ghanaian youth, the tireless efforts of our farmers, the
bravery of our fishermen and women, the business acumen
of our mothers and sisters in the markets, the passion of our
drivers, the dedication to service by our security personnel,
the sacrifices of our teachers, as well as the commitment of
our doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers.
I am encouraged by the literate Ghanaian society we are
creating, through our free access to secondary education
and expanded support for tertiary education. Our country’s
future is really bright with a highly educated and skilled
youthful population, leveraging technology for our economic
transformation.
My brothers and sisters, I am encouraged by the beautiful
diversity of our country, our peaceful co-existence which
respects each other’s faith, which unites us and brings all of
us together for a common goal of seeing a transformed
Ghana.
We stand here today in celebration, but the real work starts
now, and I have no intention of slowing down. I will get right
back to work, sit down with Ghanaians from all walks of life,
from civil society and student organizations to young
professionals, stakeholders in the business community and
religious leadership. The positon I seek needs to be earned,
and I intend to show every single voter, from the farmer to
the financial head, that I am the right man for the job. I will
listen to your concerns and answer your questions, because
we are partners in this process and any worthwhile gain
comes from a communal investment.
We speak about breaking the 8, but it’s important to
remember that that’s more than just a slogan. By breaking
the 8 we break with a culture if complacency, we reject the
tacit agreement that power is handed over every 8 years,
thereby relinquishing responsibility for the growth if this
nation. This 8-year cycle stands in the way of a long-term
vision for Ghana, therefore breaking it is not about NPP
bragging rights, it is about being able to successfully
implement long term visions and policies under a consistent
leadership. Breaking the 8 is not about partisanship but
about patriotism, and knowing that Ghana deserves
consistency, focus and follow-through, not political
bickering and division. We will break the 8 in unity, and we
will govern in unity, because regardless of the margin of our
victory, we govern for and in the interest of 100% of
Ghanaians.
We have two tasks ahead of us: (1) to lead the New Patriotic
Party to Victory in 2024; (2) to steward this nation from
recovery to prosperity. Given the chance, I am determined to
serve as a leader for a united Ghana, for all Ghanaians,
regardless of background, circumstance, or socio-economic
status. Ghana is a haven for peace and co-existence, and
one of the many strengths of our nation is that we, while we
may differ and debate, come together in unity for the good of
Mother Ghana. I have felt that hope and unity as I have
traveled through our country over these past months and I
feel it here today, as we prepare to build back better for us
all. So we celebrate today, but tomorrow, we get back to
work. For you, for Ghana and for us all.
I cannot end my speech without my deepest appreciation to
certain personalities in our party and country.
As an believer in, and practitioner of, the liberal democratic
values and principles of the Danquah-Busia-Dombo
tradition ( like all of you here), I have been inspired,
throughout my life, by the thinking, deeds, sacrifices and
accomplishments of such great political icons of our country
and Party such as Dr. J.B. Danquah, S.D. Dombo, Prof. K.A.
Busia, Edward Akufo-Addo, Obetsebi Lamptey, Alhaji
Yakubu Tali, Tolon Naa, Jato Kaleo, Naa Abayifa Karbo, C.K.
Tedam, S.G. Antor, Albert Adu-Boahen, R.R. Amponsah,
J.B. Da Rocha, J.H. Mensah, and J.A. Kufuor. I express my
profound gratitude to the founders of our tradition, without
whose sacrifices I would not be here to today. I am also
indebted to so many men and women who have sacrificed
and continue to sacrifice for our party and country on a daily
basis without outward recognition.
I extend my sincere thanks to President Akufo-Addo and his
beautiful Rebecca (by any measure, a first class first lady)
for their support and confidence in me over the years. I am
truly grateful.
I thank former President Kufour, who first allowed me to
serve as a Deputy Central Bank Governor from where I was
noticed and subsequently poached into politics. I truly
appreciate his wise counsel and guidance over the years.
May the beautiful soul of his departed wife, Mama Theresa
rest in peace
I also thank former Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, and
his wife, Hajia Ramatu Aliu Mahama for their inspiration.
May the Almighty God continue to bless their souls.
To my beautiful wife Samira and our children, I thank you
for your sacrifices and love in the journey so far.
I thank the polling station executives, the electoral area
coordinators, constituency executives, regional executives,
the council of elders, patrons, founding members, past
officers, external branches, and the national executives for
their massive support of my bid to lead the NPP. I will not
disappoint you and I promise to work hard with all, for
victory in 2024, by the grace of God.
I thank our distinguished Members of Parliament for their
unflinching support for my candidature. They have been
immeasurable in their support. I thank the thousands of
volunteers and groups, who worked day and night to secure
this historic victory for me and the party. I am indebted to
all of you.
To the energetic youth of the NPP and Ghana, I shall lead
the NPP to deliver on your aspirations. I thank you for your
support so far and I pray for your continuous support.
I thank my campaign team for their dedication and
commitment to executing the mandate assigned to them.
They delivered a victory that the nation will never forget. I
also thank my office staff for their hardwork and commitment
throughout the years.
To my father, Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia and my mum, Hajia
Mariama Bawumia I wish you were here to witness the
dreams you had for me. I thank you for raising me to be the
person I am today. May God continue to bless your beautiful
souls.
To my late press aide, Kwabena Boadu, I know you are
excited about this victory wherever you are. We made it!
Thank you and God bless you.
I thank our friends in the media for their massive coverage
of the entire process. The NPP and I are grateful for your
partnership.
I am also immensely grateful to traditional rulers, the Clergy
and the Ulamas, for their prayers, encouragement and wise
counsel over the years.
I thank all of you, who have gathered here and those who
are listening and watching from afar.
It is indeed possible!
God bless you!
God bless the NPP!
God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great
and strong!
