The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) will on Saturday elect its flagbearer for the 2024 presidential election.
Four persons are contesting in the election which could make or break the party, following what has been described by many as one of the fiercest elections in the annals of the party.
Even though the contest is between the Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia; Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, a former Minister of Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and a former Member of Parliament for Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimoh, focus is on the first two.
About 203,439 delegates drawn from various levels of the party across the country would determine the fate of the four contestants.
The delegates are made up of polling station executives, electoral area coordinators, constituency, regional and national executives, members of parliament, ministers of state, members of the national council and council of elders.
The four, per their position on the ballot – Mr Agyapong, Dr Bawumia, Dr Akoto, and Mr Addai-Nimoh – are in the race following their successful selection from 10 candidates in the August 26 Super Delegates’ Conference.
Saturday’s decentralised crucial election is expected to be held across the 275 constituencies of the country.
Ahead of the polls, Vice President Bawumia has been tipped in a latest poll by UK-based Centre for Sustainable African Development Initiatives (C-SADI) to win by 80 per cent.
The Vice President came atop in the August 26 super delegates conference with 629 votes representing 68.15 per cent of total valid votes cast to come atop ahead of Saturday’s crucial election.
In distant second was Mr Agyapong who got 132 votes representing 14.30 per cent of valid votes cast. The two others, Dr Akoto and Addai-Nimoh got 40 and nine votes respectively.
The campaigns ahead of the polls have been intense especially between the Vice President and Mr Agyapong who are regarded the front-runners.
In his message to the delegates, the Vice President has said he is the best man to ensure continuity of the ‘good works’ of the NPP government and ‘break the eight’.
According to the Vice President, he has enhanced the political fortunes of the party in some National Democratic Congress strongholds – northern Ghana and Zongos – and could further chip-away the opposition party’s votes in 2024.
In a rally to round up his campaign in Bolgatanga on Tuesday, the Vice President said the NPP faithful could bet on him to deliver the historic victory in 2024.
“Among the four of us competing for flagbearer, I am the aspirant with the best track record in winning elections, having won two on the trot. I am the one with Governance experience, serving as Vice President for two terms. I am the one who can unify all the factions within the party. I am the one who can foster peace and unity between the two main religions in the country.
“To crown it all, I am the one the NDC fears the most, and with good reason. They know with me as candidate they will not have a campaign message,” he said.
For Mr Agyapong, the contest offers the delegates the opportunity to elect a candidate who has not been part of what he considers the failures of the Akufo-Addo led government to re-energise the party’s base for victory.
The other candidates, Dr Akoto and Addai-Nimoh, however, are holding their cards close to their chest hoping to cause a major stir on Saturday.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
