A leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communication Team, Abdulai Sakra Alhassan, has launched a scathing critique of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential primaries, arguing that none of the five aspirants possesses the credibility required to lead the country.
Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on Friday, January 2, Mr Alhassan said the NPP’s failure to produce a clear front-runner reflects a deeper credibility deficit among the contenders.
According to him, a competent field would naturally yield a standout candidate by now. “If those five people were competent enough, by now you should have a candidate,” he said, adding that, in his view, none of the aspirants inspires confidence.
He dismissed speculation that the NDC feels threatened by the possible emergence of former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as the NPP’s flagbearer ahead of the 2028 elections. Mr Alhassan argued that Dr Bawumia’s past electoral performance weakens any such assumption.
“When he was even in power, he had 41 per cent. Imagine being in opposition—what can he do?” he asked.
Pushing his argument further, Mr Alhassan suggested that Dr Bawumia should consider stepping away from active politics altogether. He claimed that no version of the former Vice President could match the strength of the NDC’s potential presidential candidates.
“If I were Bawumia, or anyone advising him, I would tell him to retire from politics because he can never, in any way, match any of the NDC’s candidates,” he said.
When questioned on whether any of the five NPP aspirants could compete effectively against the NDC’s options, Mr Alhassan was unequivocal. “No one,” he stated, adding that even a combined effort of all five aspirants would fall short of matching a single NDC candidate.
Despite his criticism, Mr Alhassan alleged that the NPP’s internal processes are already tilted in favour of Dr Bawumia. According to him, party authorities have settled on the former Vice President as their preferred choice.
“The authority is backing Bawumia. The system is supporting him. They’ve made up their mind,” he claimed.
He further alleged that the timing and conduct of the NPP’s internal voting processes were deliberately designed to secure Dr Bawumia’s victory, regardless of competition.
“They want him to win, no matter how,” Mr Alhassan said, reiterating his position that none of the aspirants presents a credible alternative.
