Stephen Ntim
The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Stephen Ntim, has disclosed that he has had fruitful discussions with both former and current flagbearer aspirants of the party to ensure the party maintains a strong bond of unity going into the 2024 elections, which is expected to be keenly contested.
According to him, the NPP will find it difficult breaking the eight-year governance cycle which it strongly desires, if the party is heavily divided among itself, hence his initiative to reach out to these senior party members, some of whom have grievances.
“I have visited some of the former flagbearer aspirants in their homes and spoken to them except two, and in due course I will pay them a visit as well. I’ve also gone to Ken’s house to speak with him, I’ve been to Addai Nimo’s home, I’ve also gone to Alan and Boakye Agyarko’s homes. They raised some concerns, but I think for the fact that I as the National Chairman took the initiative to visit them in their homes and spoke to them, they are a bit okay, they can’t be 100% okay.”
He added: “I have visited Alan in his home to speak to him. He did not show any sign of anger against the party. One would have thought that given the reasons he gave for boycotting the flagbearership election, he would have been angry. But from the discussion I had with him, there was nothing to suggest that he was bottling up anger,” Chairman Ntim said on Oman FM‘s Boiling Point show.
Chairman Ntim took the initiative to meet with the flagbearer aspirants after Mr. Boakye Agyarko withdrew from the run-off election held on September 2, and Alan Kyerematen also withdrawing from the presidential primary slated for November 4, 2023.
Mr. Agyarko, the former Energy Minister, withdrew over concerns about the legality of the process and a desire to maintain a principled stance.
Mr. Alan Kyerematen, who placed third in the party’s August 26 Special Delegates’ Conference, on his part, said he opted out of the race following the intimidation of his agents.