Prof. Ransford Edward Van Gyampo, an Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Centre for European Studies of the University of Ghana, Legon, says the standings of the first three winners in Saturday’s New Patriotic Party (NPP) Super Delegates Elections was not surprising. Dr. Bawumia swept 629 of the votes (68.15%), followed by Kennedy Agyapong and Alan Kyerematen with 132 votes (14.3%) and 95 votes (10.29%) respectively.
According to the renowned political scientist, majority of the delegates were “politically made” by the establishment and their continuous stay in office as appointees, and even as elected people, is based on the support of the establishment and, therefore, “couldn’t have varied their votes”, the Professor posted on his Facebook page shortly after the results were declared by the Electoral Commission.
He contended that Ken also garnered his kind of “great show” among those who felt they could get his support in terms of money in their future electoral and political endeavors.
“He (Ken) could be a kingmaker and would easily nominate some of these guys for positions,” Prof Gyampo noted and further explained that “what makes him a serious force in the future is that, he is also very much a grassroots person”.
The political scientist, therefore, cautioned the Vice President not to be complacent because the real kingmakers will be at the grassroots where both Alan and Ken are likely to make huge incursions quoting very scientific data on the NPP delegate preferences.
Prof. Gyampo has, therefore, urged Alan and Ken to work harder contending that “the future of the NPP Presidential Aspirant race is heavily pregnant with hugely uncertain possibilities”.
He noted that the Veep will have to do more work to get to the grassroots and that more work must be done by Alan to win more people at the top believing that he (Alan) is likely to put up a better show among the grassroots in November.
Prof. Gyampo, who sees Ken as a maverick, advised him to work harder to appeal to both segments of the delegates. He explained his position on the three presidential aspirants in the fact that those who voted in the Super Delegates elections could still change their minds towards any direction for which reason no one must be complacent, neither should any of them give up.
He suggested that delegates at the grassroots must remain fired up to decide who must lead the party accordingly vote ONLY TO THEIR CONSCIENCE and not to be influenced by the outcome of the just-ended electoral exercise.
He congratulated all the Aspirants, especially the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong and the former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen.
