Re-electing Bawumia as flagbearer would be a ‘trainwreck’ – Prof. Frimpong-Boateng

Former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has warned that re-electing former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would spell disaster for the party, describing such a move as a “trainwreck”.

Speaking in an interview with Bernard Avle on The Point of View on Channel One TV on Monday, January 12, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said the current state of the NPP no longer reflects the party he once knew and served.

READ MORE: ‘I’m not leaving the party’ - Prof. Frimpong-Boateng speaks out amid NPP tensions

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng was particularly critical of the party’s internal electoral processes, alleging widespread malpractice during the selection of its last presidential candidate.

“Look at how they elected their last flagbearer — twisting weak people’s hands, bribing delegates, intimidating others. This is the beginning of corruption, and this should not be allowed in any serious institution or any serious party,” he said.

He argued that the party’s heavy electoral defeat has not been properly interrogated, warning that failing to address the root causes while presenting the same candidate again would be a grave mistake.

READ MORE: Court sets February 7 ruling date in Abu Trica extradition case

“We lost the elections badly, and we did not deal with the issues that led to the losses, and we still want to go in there. I think that it will be a train wreck if we elect the old flagbearer,” he stressed.

Despite his strong criticism, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng clarified that he harbours no personal animosity toward the former vice president. He described Dr Bawumia as a “nice person” but cautioned that personal traits alone are insufficient for leadership at the highest level. He further called on Dr Bawumia to clearly distance himself from individuals he said were responsible for the economic difficulties experienced under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo if he hopes to regain the confidence of the Ghanaian electorate.

According to him, such a move would demonstrate independence and a break from past decisions that contributed to the country’s economic challenges.