The nine-member Vetting Committee of the New Patriotic Party yesterday completed the vetting of the remaining three presidential aspirants seeking the mandate of the party to become the party’s flag bearer in the 2016 polls.
They are Mr Kofi Osei-Ameyaw, MP for Assuogyaman, Mr Joe Ghartey, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, and Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, a former Minister of State.
This bring to seven the number of vetted aspirants. Those already vetted are Mr John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Mr Francis Addai Nimoh, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Aspirants
The first to appear before the committee was Mr Osei-Ameyaw, who, after the vetting, was full of smiles and confidence.
He, however, did not talk to the media, who were gathered outside the gate waiting for an interview with the aspirants.
Mr Ghartey followed suit without any media interaction. He exuded confidence and beamed at the media personnel after his vetting. The last to appear before the committee was Mr Asamoah-Boateng.
Most of the journalists left the headquarters disappointed when all opportunities to talk to the aspirants failed.
Before vetting
Before the vetting, there was media speculation that Mr Osei-Ameyaw could be disqualified for requesting that the money the party owed him be used to defray his nomination fees.
However, Mr Kwabena Agyepong, the General Secretary of the party, did not think so and expressed doubt in an interview with the Daily Graphic.
He explained that as far as the party was concerned, the past National Election Committee captured in their report, the party’s indebtedness to Mr Osei Ameyaw, and in his personal view, “there is no issue if Mr Osei-Ameyaw requested the party to use the money owed him by the party to defray his nomination fee.
Chaired by Madam Ama Busia, a former member of the Council of State, the committee quizzed the aspirants on their vision, knowledge of party affairs and were asked general questions bordering on their eligibility to contest the presidential primaries as stipulated by the 1992 constitution.
The nine-member Vetting Committee started its work on July 23, 2014 to scrutinise the nomination forms of the seven presidential aspirants.
The members of the Vetting Committee are Madam Christine Churcher, Mr J.B Aidoo, Mr Peter Mac-Manu, Ambassador Mensa Bonsu, Prof. Mike Ocquaye, Dr Rev. Asante Antwi, Mr Kwadwo Mpiani and Mr C.K Tedem.
Presidential primaries
Now that the Vetting Committee has completed its work, if all the aspirants go through successfully, a special delegates congress will be held on August 31, 2014 to prune down the number of seven aspirants to five. It will be followed by the presidential primaries on October 18, 2014 where over 100,000 delegates across the country will elect the party’s flag bearer for the 2016 elections.
