The ten aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and their surrogates are crisscrossing the country in a desperate final push to woe delegates ahead of the super delegates conference on Saturday, August 26.
The conference is expected to trim the 10 aspirants to the best five for a presidential candidate to be elected to represent the party in the 2024 election.
Nine hundred and fifty-five delegates are expected to cast their ballots in 17 voting centers across the country.
The Electoral Commission is also entrusted with the responsibility to conduct the polls.
As the 10 aspirants – Kennedy Agyapong, Alan Kyerematen, Joe Ghartey, Kwadwo Poku, Dr Afriyie Akoto, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Addai Nimo, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Kyeremateng Agyarko and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia try to win delegates before the final day with their various campaign messages, there are concerns of machinations to ensure the results tilt in favour of some aspirants.
There were also concerns about the party having an ‘establishment candidate’ of which President Akufo-Addo is alleged to have coerced delegates to support the said candidate.
At a meeting with communicators of the party at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, August 2, he said there was no single person in the party who can say he (President Akufo-Addo) has asked him or her to support Dr Bawumia.
The President was emphatic that he had no intention of imposing anyone on the party.
Meanwhile, on the ballot, popular NPP firebrand and Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agapong appears first, followed by Alan Kyerematen in the second position.
Essikado-Ketan MP Joe Ghartey comes in at number three, Kwadwo Poku at number four, while Dr Afriyie Akoto will take the fifth position.
Also, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong will be sixth on the ballot, Addai Nimo takes the seventh slot followed by Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku at number eight.
Mr. Kyerematen is at number nine and lastly, the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is at number 10.
Ahead of the conference, the Director of Elections for the NPP, Evans Nimako says the party is committed to a free and fair election.
According to him, the party has had a very constructive engagement with aspirants, adding that “we are hoping to have a very successful electoral conference.”
A total of 956 delegates will form the Electoral College for tomorrow’s elections to settle on the topmost 5 candidates in terms of votes tally for the main Congress on November 4, 2023.
Those expected to cast their votes on Saturday include members of the National Council, and National and Regional Executive Committees, Members of Parliament and three representatives from each of the special organs of the party (Youth, Women and Nasara).
The rest are past national officers, three representatives from every branch, founder members during the registration of the party at the Electoral Commission (EC) and all card-bearing ministers.
“Every delegate shall be entitled to one vote”, according to Article 13 (2) 2 of the party’s constitution.
