The Campaign Team of Mr Alan Kyerematen, a flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has urged the party to hold its presidential primary early to offer the prospective leader adequate time to prepare for the 2024 general election.
The Team has also appealed to the party’s leadership to allow aspirants to campaign ahead of the date for the primary to offer them enough time to engage with delegates.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Yaw Buaben Asamoa, spokesperson for Mr Kyerematen’s campaign, said the camp would prefer that the presidential primary is held in either August or September this year.
“We believe that the earlier the date, the better. If we are to succeed ourselves as an administration, then it is important that we have the next potential president early so that the President can influence public policy going forward,” he said.
Mr Asamoa said if elected earlier, the flagbearer would have the opportunity to make input in the priorities and budgets of the government in a manner that would positively affect the chances of the party in the next general election.
He said the party’s delegates also needed enough time to meet with the aspirants and assess their capabilities, hence the need for the party to allow the aspirants to campaign ahead of their nomination.
“If the nomination process is delaying because the party cannot fix the date for the election, then it is difficult for the candidate and the party itself, because that space could be filled with activity between delegates and potential candidates,” Mr Asamoa said.
The NPP is yet to announce a date for its presidential and parliamentary primaries.
The party’s National Council met in Accra earlier this month to decide on the date for the primaries, but the meeting was reported to have ended inconclusively. -GNA
