Dr Hassan Ayariga, founder and leader of the All People’s Congress (APC), has asked Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to resign from his vice presidential office.

“The vice president is on his way on an Upper East campaign. He has left his office and duties as vice president and has taken on a new role,” he charged.

According to Dr Ayariga, Dr Bawumia has, in fact, shelved his official duties to Ghana, as he focuses on campaigning as the NPP’s flagbearer. In doing so, also, he charged, Dr Bawumia is using state machinery, resources, and personnel to benefit of the ruling party.

Dr Ayariga, speaking on A1 Radio, expressed concerns Dr Bawumia’s dual role creates an unfair advantage for the ruling NPP in the December 7 elections.

Undue advantage

“I am saying if we really want to move on, the vice president of the Republic of Ghana by this time should [have] resigned [from] his office and allow[ed] another vice president to be appointed,” Dr Ayariga asserted.

“All his colleagues who contested to become flagbearers that were ministers of state have resigned and become flagbearers. Why is the vice president adamant in resigning his position, wasting our resources, being at an advantage over some of us who do not have government properties around us or resources around us?” he pressed.

He argued Dr Bawumia was not living up to the impartiality expected of a sitting vice president and was misappropriating taxpayer funds.

Call for a constitutional amendment

“Going forward, there should be a constitutional instrument restraining all vice presidents who want to contest any election from still holding their position as vice president,” Dr Ayariga said.

“We should also make amendments to our constitution because the constitution does not allow even the sitting president to contest as president while holding office of the president,” he added.

Petition to Speaker and SC

“I’m sending a letter to the Speaker of Parliament including the Supreme Court for us to look at the current situation we find ourselves in,” the APC leader revealed.

Dr Ayariga lamented how “capitally insensitive” utilising undue advantages was, observing “people use so much money to lure the people to vote for them”.

Pushing for legislative changes, he said he would submit a formal petition by Friday, August 2, 2024, towards ensuring equal footing for all political candidates, to demonstrate his commitment to parity.