Political scientist and Head of the Centre for European Studies at the University of Ghana, Dr Kwame Asah Asante, has warned that former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will face intense scrutiny from political opponents if he emerges as flagbearer.

Dr Asah Asante shared his views while assessing the strengths and weaknesses of leading contenders in the ongoing flagbearer contest.

He acknowledged that opinion polls currently favour Dr Bawumia, noting that many of the surveys are based on scientific methods.

However, he cautioned that popularity alone does not guarantee electoral victory.

According to him, politics goes beyond winning internal contests and opinion polls, stressing that a candidate must be able to attract votes nationwide and ultimately secure power.

Dr Asah Asante explained that a candidate may look strong on posters and surveys but still struggle to convince voters during a general election.

He argued that what matters most is whether the candidate has the full set of leadership qualities needed to win power.

Touching on Dr Bawumia’s prospects, he noted that if the former Vice President is elected, the opposition will rely heavily on recordings and past statements linked to his time in government.

He mentioned issues such as the National Cathedral project, the Pwalugu Dam, job losses, and what he described as weaknesses of the previous administration.

Dr Asah Asante explained that even if Dr Bawumia was not directly responsible for some of these issues, his association with the former government would work against him.

He stressed that these matters would likely be used to question his credibility and performance.

He commented on Kennedy Agyapong, describing him as energetic and full of ideas.

However, he pointed out that Mr Agyapong’s past public outbursts and recorded statements could also be used against him during a national campaign.

Dr Asah Asante concluded that both leading contenders have strengths, but they also carry political baggage that opponents are likely to exploit in a general election contest.