Selling Bawumia is like selling something nobody wants to buy – Brako-Powers

Legal practitioner and political analyst Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers has said that the economic credibility of former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has significantly diminished.

He stated that efforts to present him again as an economic solution could fail to resonate with the Ghanaian public. He made the remarks during an interview on TV3 with host Roland Walker, where he assessed internal dynamics within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and broader public sentiment.

According to Brako-Powers, while leadership contests within the NPP remain unpredictable, credibility remains the most critical currency in national politics. “Anything is possible,” he noted, acknowledging the fluid nature of party politics. However, he stressed that credibility lost through economic outcomes cannot be easily restored through political marketing.

He explained that Dr. Bawumia was previously introduced to the public as an “economic messiah,” with expectations that his ideas and leadership would transform Ghana’s economy. In Brako-Powers’ view, those expectations were not met. “When you praise someone as an economic messiah and give them the opportunity to lead, only for the economy to deteriorate, the consequence is that people lose confidence in that person,” he said.

The lawyer and AI researcher identified Ghana’s return to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a major turning point that weakened Dr. Bawumia’s economic standing. He recalled strong public assurances that the country would maintain economic sovereignty and avoid IMF support, assurances that were later overtaken by events. “All the cries about economic sovereignty ended with Ghana at the doorstep of the IMF,” Brako-Powers stated, arguing that such developments eroded trust in the former Vice President’s economic leadership.

He also pointed to emerging signals within the NPP suggesting that Kennedy Agyapong’s influence among party delegates is growing, with his message finding acceptance across different factions. While conceding that Agyapong has his own political challenges, Brako-Powers argued that those issues are manageable compared to what he described as Dr. Bawumia’s eroded credibility.

Brako-Powers urged NPP delegates to weigh their decisions carefully and prioritise the national interest, noting that Ghana’s social and economic stability depends on competent and trusted economic management. He said dissatisfaction within the party’s base could still shape delegate choices as the political process unfolds.

He cautioned against attempting to repackage Dr. Bawumia as an economic hope, insisting that public perception cannot be ignored. “If you have lost your economic messianic credibility, you should not be marketed as the solution,” he said.

Brako-Powers concluded with an assessment of the situation, cautioning that any renewed attempt to sell Dr. Bawumia’s economic credentials may fall flat. “Selling Bawumia again is like selling something nobody wants to buy,” he added.