You couldn’t have been a ‘poor kid’; your father was a Council of State member

Kwasi Kwarteng, Spokesperson of the Ken Agyapong campaign team, has called for a shift in the political discourse, urging political actors and commentators to move away from personality-driven narratives and focus instead on leadership competence and electoral appeal.

His comments follow Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s recent remarks characterizing himself as a “poor boy” rising through adversity

Speaking with former MMDCEs on Monday, June 23, 2025, Dr Bawumia said “I may not be rich, but I have rich ideas. Poor people can also be presidents of Ghana”.

But in an interview on Joy Prime, Kwarteng questioned the credibility of Bawumia’s self-portrayal, noting that the Vice President’s father served as a member of the Council of State as far back as 1992.

“Dr Bawumia is saying he is a poor kid? I am of the belief that we should raise the discourse beyond some of these commentaries where we reduce it to personalities. We have a country to run, we have a country to build,” Kwarteng said.

He added, “Somebody whose father in 1992 was a Council of State member is saying he is a poor kid. I don’t think I have much to say there.”

Instead of dwelling on origin stories, Kwarteng argued, the focus should be on which candidate best demonstrates the qualities needed to lead Ghana forward.

“Our position is that running a country goes beyond a rich kid and a poor kid. It has more to do with who has the leadership trait,” he stated.

Highlighting the strategic importance of electability in politics, Kwarteng emphasized that political parties must prioritize winning power in order to effect change.

“If you are a political party, your number one and supreme interest is to win power. No matter how novel, no matter the initiative we have, no matter how splendid your vision is, if you do not win power, you certainly cannot implement those initiatives,” he said.

He concluded by encouraging a more practical and inclusive political conversation, one centered on vision, electability, and grassroots resonance.

“For me, the focus and the conversation should be more about among all the candidates who wants to contest, who resonates more with the base,” he said.

Kwasi Kwarteng’s remarks come amid intensifying internal debates within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as it gears up for its presidential primary.

KA

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