NPP presidential primaries: five candidates file nomination forms
Eleven candidates in all have taken forms to stand in the polls since the NPP opened nominations for its presidential primaries
Five candidates who hope to lead the New Patriotic Party as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2024 election have filed nomination forms with the NPP four days to the close of the exercise, which began on 26 May 2023.
In all, 11 candidates have picked up nomination forms to stand in the primaries since the NPP opened nominations for its presidential primaries, fixed for Saturday 4 November.
The individuals who have filed so far are Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, Alan Kyerematen, the former trade and industry minister, Owusu Akoto Afriyie, the former food and agriculture minister, Kofi Konadu Apraku, the economist and former regional co-operation minister, and Boakye Agyarko, the former energy minister.
Three to file Wednesday
It is widely expected that an additional three aspirants will file nomination forms by the close of day tomorrow (Wednesday 21 June 2023).
The three candidates are Kennedy Agyapong, the sitting MP for Assin Central in the Central Region, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, the former NPP general secretary, and Kojo Poku, an energy expert.
Super delegates
At the close of nominations on Saturday (24 June), if more than five aspirants who have picked up forms have gone ahead to file, that will mean that the NPP will hold a “super delegates’ conference” on 26 August 2023 (a Saturday) as planned.
Under Article 12 (5) (b) of the constitution of the NPP, “where there are more than five contestants for nomination as the party’s presidential candidate, a special electoral college (super delegates) shall cast their votes by secret ballot for the first five contestants to be shortlisted”.
The provision goes on to list those who constitute the special electoral college. They are “the National Council, the National Executive Committee, the Regional Executive Committees, National Council of Elders and Members of Parliament”.
The rest are; “three representatives of each of the special organs of the party, past national officers, three representatives each from every external branch, founding members during the registration of the party at the Electoral Commission and all New Patriotic Party card-bearing ministers when the party is in government”.
Opening of nominations
The NPP opened nominations for the flagbearership on Friday 26 May 2023 and the party is expected to close the nominations window on 24 June.
All the aspirants who picked up forms are required to pay a non-refundable nomination fee of GHC50,000.
All the candidates who picked up forms are expected to file completed documents on or before 24 June 2023. The requirements state that they will pay a filing fee of GHC300,000.
Eleven aspirants
As of today, Tuesday (20 June), Boakye Agyarko, the former energy minister, Francis Addai Nimoh, the former MP for Mampong in the Ashanti Region, and Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, the former NPP general secretary, have all picked up forms to stand in the presidential primaries.
So have Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, the economist and former regional co-operation minister, and Dr Owusu Akoto Afriyie, the former food and agriculture minister.
Other individuals who have bought and collected nomination forms are the Vice-President of the Republic, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Kojo Poku, an energy expert, the former minister of trade and industry Alan Kyerematen, Kennedy Agyapong, the sitting MP for Assin Central in the Central Region, and Joe Ghartey, former the railways development minister and sitting MP for Essikado-Ketan in the Western Region.
Reporting by Wilberforce Asare in Accra
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