Ghana ruling party, di New Patriotic Party (NPP) don pick di Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia as dia candidate for di December 2024 presidential elections.
E go be di first northerner and Muslim to contest di presidency under di NPP banner since dem restore multi-party democracy for 1992.
For one vote dem do on Saturday to pick a flag bearer among di three opponents, Bawumia gain 61.47% of di total votes to emerge as di favourite of di party members.
Oga Bawumia nearest rival Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, wey get 37.4% of di vote don accept defeat.
For im victory speech, Oga Bawumia promise to lead a “united and energised” NPP into di election.
President Nana Akufo-Addo, wey be member of di NPP, go step down afta di December 2024 elections, afta e don serve two terms for office.
Di election dey expected to be a two-horse race between oga Bawumia and former President John Mahama, wey be di flagbearer of di main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Dis go be di first time di two main parties go field northerners as dia presidential candidates.
Di NPP political heartland dey seen as southern Ghana, while di north na one of di NDC strongest political bases.
By choosing Mr Bawumia, di NPP dey hope say e go make dia stronghold for di north solid, while di party retain dia support for di south.
Since Ghana return to multiparty democracy for 1992, di ruling party and di opposition National Democratic Congress don take turns to rule di kontri and each of dem don serve a two-term cycles wey last up to eight years. Di New Patriotic Party, currently dey occupy di office for two consecutive terms.
Bawumia, na economist and banker, wey dey hope to take ova from President Nana Akufo Addo wey go end im two-term mandate on 7 January, 2025.
However, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, wey be di head of di goment economic management team, go face face serious battle on how e go take persuade Ghana over 17 million registered voters to re-elect im party to power come December 2024 election.
Ghana wey be major producer of gold and coca dey face dia worst economic crisis in more than a generation as goment debt dey rise high, dis don force di kontri to take $3bn (£2.4bn) loan from di International Monetary Fund (IMF) to take ease di crisis.
Inflation bin reach a record 54% for December last year, though e don since fall to around 38%.
Goment don also increase utility tariffs, and introduce new taxes, wey cause widespread anger among voters and trigger protests wey di opposition and youth groups organise.
But Mr Bawumia bin sound confident wen e address party delegates afta im nomination.
“We know say NPP na di only party wey fit transform Ghana. Di NPP go enta 2024 united and energised,” e tok.
Vice President Mahamoud Bawumia go compete against former President John Dramani Mahama for wetin fit turn out to be a hotly contested two-horse race next year.
For im acceptance speech, Bawumia bin promise to rebuild di crisis-hit economy if e dey elected as president.
“I wan lead a nation wey dey iporve and unleash di talents of our youth and offer good jobs wit good pay and sustainable growth wit macroeconomic discipline,” e tok.
Who be Mahamoud Bawumia?
Mahamudu Bawumia na economist, banker, and vice president of Ghana. E be Deputy Governor of di Central Bank of Ghana until im nomination as Vice Presidential candidate for di New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo for 2008.
E also run as di vice-presidential candidate of di New Patriotic Party for Ghana 2012 general elections and di lead witness for di petitioners for di 2012/2013 Presidential Election Petition, wey challenge di of John Mahama as di winner of Ghana 2012 Presidential Election.
Dem born am on October 7, 1963, for Tamale to di late Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia.
E be di founding member of di Northern Peoples Party alongside Chief S. D. Dombo, Chief Abeifa Karbo, Yakubu Tali, di Tolon Naa, and J. A. Braimah, Kabachewura.
Di Northern Peoples Party, together wit di National Liberation Movement and oda opposition political parties later merge into di United Party, wey birth di current New Patriotic Party.
Alhaji Bawumia don serve Ghanaian goment under various capacities, wey include member of di Northern Territories Council, di Gold Coast Legislative Assembly, a Member of Parliament of di First Republic, Northern Regional Minister, and Ghana Ambassador to di Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Between 2009 and 2010, e serve as visiting scholar for di Center for the Study of African Economies, Oxford University.
E also work as resident representative for di African Development Bank for Zimbabwe for 2011-2012. E be visiting scholar for di University of British Columbia (Canada), and a Senior Associate Member of St. Antony College, University of Oxford. Between 2013 and 2015 Dr. Bawumia be visiting professor of Economic Governance for Central University, Ghana.
Dr. Bawumia bin also serve as Assistant Professor of Economics for Hankamer School of Business, Baylor University, Texas, USA (1996- 2000). Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia hold BSc. Economics (First Class Honors) degree from di University of Buckingham, UK, a Masters degree in Development Economics from Oxford University (Lincoln College), and a Ph.D. in Economics from Simon Fraser University (Canada).
E be Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (U.K). (ACIB) and Fellow of di Chartered Institute of Bankers (FCIB), Ghana.
Bawumia don publish several articles and two books on Monetary Policy and Economic Development.
E dey married to Samira Ramadan and dem get children together.
