Justice Srem-Sai, a constitutional lawyer and member of the NDC, has stated that the longer it takes for the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, to find a running mate, the more apparent it becomes that he is struggling to find a match for the NDC’s running mate, Prof Opoku-Agyemang.

That may be depressing, he stated in a post on his X platform in response to the NDC’s outdooring of Prof Opoku-Agyemang on Wednesday, April 24.

“In my perspective, Prof Opoku-Agyemang and Prof Atta Mills have similar communication styles. They would both gaze severely into your eyes, speak profoundly to your heart, stop patiently to give you time to reply in thinking and carry you forward.

“They do not outrun you with rumbly roughy quirky hissy laughter, nor overrun you with oppressive sloganeers, all of which, when combined, are but a sign of insecurity, insensitivity, condescension and evasiveness,” portions of his post said.

Read below the full post…

The longer Dr Bawumia takes to get a running-mate, the more evident it becomes that he’s struggling to find a match for Prof Opoku-Agyemang; and that can be severely distressing. However, that’s not the focus of this post.

Let’s, once again, think about Prof Atta Mills a little bit. One thing that sets Prof Mills apart is the simplicity, honesty, integrity, empathy and courage which his communication – verbal and nonverbal – oozes.

However, the learned Professor of law was even far more impressive in other things. If his communication was phenomenal, his performance as President, briefly though he served, was generationally distinguished.

In my mind’s eye, Prof Opoku-Agyemang shares communication style with Prof Atta Mills. They both would look sternly into your eyes; speak deeply to your heart; pause calmly to allow you space to respond in thought; and carry you along.

They do not outrun you with rumbly roughy quirky hissy laughter, nor overrun you with oppressive sloganeers, all of which, when combined, are but a sign of insecurity, insensitivity, condescension and evasiveness.

Like Prof Mills, Prof Opoku-Agyemang’s attributes go far beyond her communicate skills or style. Her works! Her work as a leader in academia was much one of a kind, as it was first of its kind in our beloved nation, undisputedly.

As a leader in national politics, she is reputed for making the most yield of her budget. The education ministry was transformative under her. She demonstrated a deep understanding of foundational education and invested heavily and wisely in it.

Higher education: she not only protected academic freedom but also promoted it. She resolved conflicts in the sector without victimisation. Where political interest warred with technocratic propositions, she allowed consensus (rather than bullying) to prevail.

History of civilization teaches us this: a nation, no matter how robbed, broke and divided, is stronger with inclusiveness and consensus rather than with hardheadedness and pomposity; openness and honesty rather than deception and distortion.

We know a few things: we know that our nation is broke AF; and, perhaps, also, severely divided – divided along the line of the few haves and the multitude of the have-nots. It is also robbed, both from both within and outside.

So, last night, as I played over Prof’s speech and the thunderous applause which it frequently summoned; when I reflect over her works over the decades, I knew that she has something truly generational to offer our beloved nation.

Former President John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has stated that Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang is the Vice President that Ghanaians require if they are to establish the Ghana that everyone deserves.

He believes Prof Opoku-Agyemang will be an excellent complement if the NDC wins this year’s election and forms the next administration.

In a Facebook post announcing the former Minister of Education as his running partner, Mr Mahama said, “If we are to build the Ghana we want together, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang is truly the Vice President we need.” She will be an ideal match in many ways, serving with dignity, boldness, honesty, and grace.”

Prof Opku Agyemang stated during her investiture at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) on Wednesday, April 24, that corrupt people in the Akufo-Addo administration will be held responsible if the NDC wins this year’s elections.

She stated, “The condescending views this as a lack of fresh thoughts. The unpretentious consider it as a sign of comprehending democracy’s roots, namely consensus building, which is the clearest indicator of long-term peace. I view it as a sign of strength, and I consider myself fortunate to work with him.

She also remarked that consensus-building should be the focal point of any progressive, constructive initiative.

“We have already seen how, without such a base, Ghana Without Aid has become Ghana Without Compass.

“The decision is easy; let us make it on December 7 this year. Corruption is endemic in far too many government and non-governmental entities; unfortunately, the institutions designed to combat corruption have been severely undermined. We must enhance the institutions, and we will do so when the NDC takes office in January 2025, God willing.

“It is our duty to ensure that our sources of wealth are not given away to obscure entities shrouded in opaque deals. We must not arrive at a destination where our national assets and natural resources are treated by some as if they were assets of their own creation, to be willed forever to relatives and friends.

“We must be passionate about justice, about the protection of our environment, about protecting our differently-abled citizens. We must be passionate about institutions that are responsive to our collective needs. We must be passionate about stamping out corruption.

“Let no one tell us otherwise, not even those who have so alienated themselves from reality as to be impervious to the truth—the truth of women delivering on the floor, of children waiting for a benevolent person to advance much-needed vaccines, of young children learning in dangerous circumstances; of teachers threatened and parents intimidated from their core functions of caring for their own children; of those who can no longer afford healthily and once generally affordable meals euphemistically called  “face the wall” and ‘kofi broke man’, or of elderly citizens who must picket for their own money. What is that?” She said.

She added “Let no one tell us that the culture of silence has become the norm, let no one tell us that eight persons were shot in cold blood because they had gone to exercise their civic responsibility of voting, and that it was all right for a member of parliament to call them criminals; or that it is okay for SALL to have no representative in parliament for four years under a democracy because someone whimsically decided hours to the elections that they could not vote for a parliamentary candidate. And please don’t tell us that the Bank of Ghana, rather than defending itself from accusations of breach of procedure, can choose to label those who raised the matter publicly as hooligans who should have followed procedure.

“And at the time of accounting to the people, let no one pretend that they have more human rights than those they have consciously disenfranchised and those to whom justice has been shamefully denied.

“When those otherwise loud voices we assumed spoke for the voiceless have gone into self-imposed silence, and deafness and blindness, should we honestly be surprised at the high levels of cynicism if not downright mistrust of leaders? Of our youth in despair?”

Dennis Miracles Aboagye, the Director of Communications for Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s Campaign, has affirmed that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is proceeding as planned in picking its running partner.

Aboagye further claimed that Dr Bawumia has a clear choice for his running mate.

However, in an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News, Mr Aboagye provided confidence, indicating that the party is still on track with its internal schedule and might reveal the running partner at any time.

Concerns about probable delays and their consequences have prompted demands for the NPP to announce its pick for a running mate as soon as possible.

“We are very much within the timeline. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia was elected barely six months ago and so we still have time. If you recall, his nomination in 2008 was done somewhere in August.”

“So, for us in the NPP, we are very much within our timelines. It can be tomorrow, it can be next week it can be next month, it can be three days from now. The flagbearer at this point is very clear in his mind who his running mate is going to be and when he is ready, he is going to announce that,” he stated.