Joseph Osei Owusu, popularly known as Joe Wise, a former Deputy Speaker of Parliament, has revealed he was offered a running mate position in the 2024 election, but he refused.
According to Joe Wise, his decision to reject the offer was based on his desire to withdraw from public service, adding that he no longer had the interest to hold any public office.
He further revealed that at the time the offer was made to him, he was not medically fit, but also other things contributed to his decision.
Joe Wise additionally stressed that even if he were made a new offer today, he would still reject the offer.
Speaking in an interview on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo morning show on January 26, 2026, the former MP, Joe Wise, who is now the Chair of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Elections Committee, explained, “I will not accept any public service of any kind anymore.
“I have served enough, and that is okay, so I won’t accept any public service. I was offered a running mate position in the last election, but I refused. I will not accept a running mate position. I am 64 years old; I have served the nation the best way I can,” he said.
The NPP Chair of the Presidential Election Committee further emphasised that his priority is not political appointments or titles but strengthening loyalty to the state, which he believes is gradually declining.
“What is important to me is that we continue to encourage loyalty to the state. It’s getting worse by the day. That is what we should focus on, not positions. Those are not the things that matter to me,” he added.
In related news, Joseph Osei-Owusu has warned presidential aspirants that private security and macho men will not be entertained during the party’s primaries.
According to Joseph Osei-Owusu, any NPP presidential aspirant thinking of bringing macho men should think twice.
He revealed that the Ghana Police Service would deploy between 70 and 150 officers at each polling centre, adding that there would be military support in selected areas, mainly parts of the Upper East Region.
Joe Wise warned, “Anybody thinking of bringing private security or ‘macho’ men should think twice. The police will deal with it very, very severely”.
“We felt that this is not an election in which we should allow anybody the basis to claim that the process was tainted. Everybody will be satisfied that he won because he was voted for, or he lost because he was voted against,” he said.
Joseph Osei-Owusu further assured the public of a credible, transparent, and well-secured process.
He added, “Everything that has to be done is done. The Commission is ready, the police are ready, and everything they need to be able to do their work has been provided”.
“At every stage, we involved the contestants themselves. We showed them the list, we listened to concerns, and we resolved them together,” he said.
“If you go to our IT centre now, you will find representatives of the contestants verifying everything and endorsing it before final printing,” he added.
A total of 211,849 delegates are expected to vote at 333 polling centres across the country’s 276 constituencies.
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