Governance is not about I have money to do this, I have money to do that – Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

Former Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has asserted that wealth alone should not be a deciding factor in selecting a flagbearer for the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Speaking in an interview with 1957 News, and monitored by GhanaWeb on Tuesday, he made reference to the NPP’s Constitution, which stipulates that any individual aspiring to lead the party must be a member in good standing for at least four years.

“If you look at our party’s constitution, qualification for the position of the flagbearer or presidential candidate says you should have been in the party for at least four years and be in good standing. It means that maybe you’ve paid your dues and fulfilled other commitments.

“Beyond that, governance is not about somebody saying, ‘I have money to do this, I have money to do that.’ Because let’s face it, no single individual can finance the campaign of anybody,” he stated.

Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu argued that while financial contributions are important, it should not become a substitute for competence, character, and leadership qualities needed to lead a political party and a nation.

“You are looking at the competence of the person, the integrity, the character, and the ingenuity to lead. Wisdom and intelligence do not reside in one person alone,” he remarked.

His remarks come on the heels of recent statements by former Member of Parliament for Assin Central and flagbearer aspirant, Kennedy Agyapong, who has pledged to raise $7 million to support the party if it adopts a bottom-up approach in conducting its internal elections.

The NPP has scheduled its presidential primaries for Saturday, January 31, 2026.