According to Dumelo, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer's performance was unsatisfactory.
Speaking exclusively to Pulse Ghana, Dumelo expressed his disappointment, stating, "Yeah, I think the media encounter he did yesterday was very appalling. There were so many questions he didn't answer. I mean, you can't absolutely tell me as vice president that you don't know what's going on at Cocoa Board."
Dumelo highlighted Dr Bawumia's failure to address key national issues, saying, "You can't absolutely tell me as chairman of the Police Council that you don't know what happened to the eight people who were murdered in 2020 with regards to the election violence. I mean, you can't tell me that you don't know these things."
During the media encounter, Dr Bawumia explained his limitations as Vice President, remarking, “The budget that has gone to Parliament, which has been passed, is not my budget, is it my budget? It’s not my budget. The budget goes in the name of the President, it doesn’t go in the name of the Vice President.” He emphasised that his authority is limited in his current role.
Dr Bawumia further clarified his stance on various reforms, such as import duty reductions and tax amnesties, which align with his presidential ambitions.
He compared his situation to that of former President John Mahama, noting, “Even President Mahama, who was president—I’m only Vice President—but he was President. Why didn’t he do everything then? I mean, why is he coming back? He had full authority. I don’t have full authority.”
The Vice President underscored that, like any presidential candidate, he has a distinct vision and new ideas that he intends to pursue if elected President.