The spokesperson for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) vice-presidential candidate, Mr. Fiifi Boafo, has defended Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (NAPO) following a widely circulated video in which NAPO mistakenly endorsed the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, instead of the NPP’s candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

In the video, NAPO immediately corrected himself after realizing his mistake, but the incident has drawn criticism and mockery, particularly from the opposition NDC

Speaking to Starr FM, Mr. Boafo explained that such slips are natural during extended public speaking engagements and do not reflect NAPO’s true intentions.

He argued that NAPO’s long-standing support for Dr. Bawumia was evident in his speeches and actions, describing the slip as a momentary lapse caused by the strain of extended public speaking.

He said: “The people you claim said it was not a slip but a deliberate thing. Why would he go on further to say that he was talking about Doctor Bawumia if that was genuinely what he meant to say John Mahama? Anyway, let me make the point. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh is human; slips are part of human beings. At no point in time will Dr. Matthew prefer John Dramani Mahama to Doctor Mahamudu Bawumia. He has advanced arguments at several platforms to present that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is a better option for our country than what John Mahama presents”.

Mr. Boafo added that NAPO’s references to Mahama are deliberate reminders to Ghanaians of the NDC leader’s record in governance.

“There’s a need for Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh to talk about John Mahama. The reason why you have to talk about John Mahama is that we are going to an election. The persons who are 18 years old today who are going to vote, these persons were 10 years old at the time John Mahama was exiting as president.

“They may not have known the fact that John Mahama forced us to stay in darkness for almost five years. They may not know that John Mahama as president made us queue before buying fuel or gas at the filling station. They may not know that John Mahama is the one who canceled nurses and teachers and allowance.

“They may not know that under John Mahama as president, chalk was an essential commodity in our country. So, there is a need for him to tell the public that the person who is coming back to us seeking a mandate to govern our country is called John Mahama.

“He has ruled the country before, when he ruled as the president of our country, the troubles he caused, there’s a need for us to remind ourselves. He’s only reminding us of the dangers and the troubles we went through under John Mahama as President. But not in any way that people should vote for him. That is a bad choice, and he will not make that recommendation.”

Mahama’s response

Meanwhile, John Dramani Mahama, the NDC flagbearer, has taunted the NPP over the gaffe, claiming that its leaders frequently mention his name because they are preoccupied with him.

“When the leaders of the NPP sleep, the person they dream about is John Mahama,” Mahama said during a rally in Yilo Krobo.

Citing similar slip-ups by President Nana Akufo-Addo and Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi), Mahama said, “Just when I was coming here, Odumasi, I saw another video. Their running mate, NAPO, was saying who they should vote for. So he said, ‘Vote for John Mahama.’ Then they whispered to him, but he didn’t hear. He repeated, ‘So when you vote, vote for Mahama.’ Then they said, ‘No, no, no, Bawumia, Bawumia.’”