Four Presidential hopefuls of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), picked forms at the party’s headquarters yesterday to contest for the flagbearership race of the party in November this year.
A group of people led by Dr. Benjamin Ashitey was the first to pick the nomination form at 11:21am on behalf of Mr. Boakye Agyarko.
Dr. Benjamin Ashitey, in an interview with a section of journalists, said they are not distracted by the work of their competitors but remain focused in sending their message to the delegates. He said Boakye Agyarko has a brighter chance of winning the flagbearership position and ultimately win the 2024 general elections.
Director of Communications of the Addai Nimoh campaign team, Fred Obeng Antwi, for his part said “if you consider the second term of any party in government, should they use a member of the outgoing government for the presidential candidate for the next general elections, the party loses.”
He was therefore optimistic that Francis Addai Nimoh, who contested to become the flagbearer in 2014, has a brighter chance this time to win the flagbearership race and ultimately become the President.
Kwame Obiri Nkansah, who also picked forms on behalf of Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, said his boss, who contested for a similar position in 2007 and 2014, is unfazed by other stalwarts who are also vying to lead the party.
He, therefore, used the opportunity to appeal to delegates to consider the experience of Dr. Apraku and vote for him to enable him pursue a domestication agenda aimed at transforming the country.
A former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyapong, also had his representative there to pick the form on his behalf.
Earlier in the morning, a group called Bawumia fan club led by Eric Kwabena Twumasi, who wanted to pick nomination forms on behalf of the Vice President, were prevented from obtaining the form on behalf of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia because they had failed to secure an authorisation form from his office before embarking on the move.
But the Director of Elections for the party, Evans Nimako, said the group were not prevented from picking the forms but were asked to follow the standard procedure of seeking the consent of the aspirants before any form were picked by any group.
He also entreated all aspiring presidential hopefuls to pick forms as nominations are opened.
NPP Chairman, Stephen Ayesu Ntim, indicated that every step of the election processes will be duly followed to ensure a free and fair election.
Meanwhile, five presidential hopefuls of the party who have declared their intentions to contest but are yet to pick nomination forms include Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, former Minister of Trade and Industry; Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, former Agric Minister.
The rest are business mogul, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong; Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Joe Ghartey, former Minister of Railway Development.
Picking up of nomination forms, which opened yesterday, Friday, May 26, 2023, will end on Saturday, June 24, 2023.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah