Former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has cautioned the New Patriotic Party (NPP) against re-electing former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as its flagbearer, warning that such a decision would lead the party into 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 NPP has drifted far from the values and principles he once believed in, describing the party’s current state as deeply troubling.
He was particularly critical of the party’s internal electoral processes, alleging that the selection of its most recent presidential candidate was marred by intimidation, bribery, and undue influence.
“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 political party,” he stated.
According to Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, the NPP has failed to conduct a genuine post-election assessment following its heavy electoral defeat, warning that ignoring the underlying causes of the loss while presenting the same candidate again would be a serious miscalculation.
“We lost the elections badly, and we did not deal with the issues that led to the losses, yet we still want to go back with the same candidate. I think it will be a trainwreck if we elect the old flagbearer,” he emphasized.
Despite his strong remarks, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng clarified that his criticism was not rooted in personal animosity. He described Dr. Bawumia as a “nice person” but stressed that personal character alone does not qualify one for leadership at the highest level of national politics.
He further urged the former Vice President to clearly distance himself from individuals he believes were responsible for the economic hardships experienced under the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, should he seek to rebuild public trust.
According to him, such a move would signal independence, accountability, and a clear break from past policies and decisions that contributed to Ghana’s economic challenges.
