The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has opened nominations for its presidential primary.
The exercise which forms part of the ruling party’s processes for the final leg of its internal elections to elect a flag bearer for the 2024 general election opened today, Friday, May 26, and closes on Friday, June 16, 2023.
So far 10 loyalist of the party have made known their intention to contest the party’s flagbearership which is slated for November 4, 2023.
Accordingly, an aspiring presidential candidate shall obtain the nomination forms after payment of a non-refundable nomination fee of GH¢50, 000.00 through a banker’s draft issued in the name of the party.
Potential Candidates
The individuals who have declared their intention to contest include Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia; former Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen; former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto; Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, and former MP for Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimoh.
Others are former Minister of Justice and Attorney General and MP for Essikado-Ketan, Joe Ghartey; former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyapong; a former Minister of State, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku; former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, and a senior lecturer at the Department of History, University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Eric Sakyi Nketiah.
Antecedent
Before then, the party would hold a Special Electoral College Elections on August 26, 2023, if more than five members file to vie for the flagbearership.
This is to reduce the number of presidential aspirants to a minimum of five for the national congress to elect a presidential candidate for the party.
Unlike in 2007 when 17 leading members contested the party’s presidential primary, the NPP constitution has been amended to accommodate not more than five persons for the flag bearer contest.
According to Article 13(9) of the NPP Constitution: “Where there are more than five contestants for nomination as the party’s presidential candidate, a Special Electoral College shall cast their votes by secret ballot for the first five contestants to be short-listed.”
Timelines
A statement issued and signed by the General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Frimpong Kodua, yesterday (May 25) to announce the opening of nominations for the presidential primary said the forms could be obtained from the office of the General Secretary at its party headquarters, Asylum Down, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (Monday to Friday).
It said the party was determined to hold a free, fair, transparent, and peaceful presidential primary election, and urged all stakeholders to help make this a reality.
Meanwhile, the leading opposition party, National Democratic Congress (NDC), went to the polls on Saturday, May 13 this year to elect Former President John Mahama to lead the party to victory in the 2024 General Elections as its Flagbearer.
Mr. Mahama polled 297, 603 votes, representing 98.9% of the valid votes cast, beating former chief executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Kojo Bonsu, with 3,181 votes.
Credit: Graphic Online
