A total of 10 aspirants contesting the flagbearer race of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have successfully submitted their presidential nomination forms to the party, as nomination ended on Saturday.
They are a former Minister of Energy, Mr Boakye Agyarko; former NPP General Secretary and presidential spokesperson, Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyepong; former Member of Parliament (MP) for Mampong, Mr Francis Addai-Nimoh; former Minister of State, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku and former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto.
The rest are Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia; former Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen; former Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Mr Joe Ghartey; energy expert, Mr Kwadwo Opoku and Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong.
The Director of Research and Elections of the NPP, Mr Evans Nimako addressing pressmen on Saturday at the party headquarters in Accra, said a former Head of Transport at the Jubilee House, Odeneho Nana Oppong, who picked nomination forms had officially communicated to the party to discontinue the process.
He said the aspirants who had submitted their presidential nomination forms would meet the national vetting committee of the party, chaired by a former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, between July 3 and July 6,, 2023.
Mr Nimako explained that if more than five of the aspirants are approved after the vetting process, the party would have to go for a special electoral college scheduled on August 26, 2023, followed by a presidential election on November 4, 2023.
“If none of the aspirants obtain more than 50 per cent plus one votes after the November 4 elections, the party would organise a run-off election on November 11, 2023,” he said.
He thanked the aspirants for complying with the rules and regulations governing the party, and urged them to continue to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.
Mr Nimako however said the NPP was poised to win the Assin North by-election slated for Tuesday, June 27, 2023, and called on members of the party to support the NPP candidate.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
