NPP to hold presidential primary November 4
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will hold its presidential primary to elect a flag bearer for the 2024 general election on November 4 this year.
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Before then, the party would hold a Special Electoral College Elections on August 26, 2023 if more than five members file to vie for the flagbearership.
This is to reduce the number of the presidential aspirants to a minimum of five for the national congress to elect a presidential candidate for the party.
Party's constitution
Unlike in 2007 when 17 leading members contested the party's presidential primary, the NPP constitution has been amended to accommodate not more than five persons for the flag bearer contest.
According to Article 13(9) of the NPP constitution: "Where there are more than five contestants for nomination as the party's presidential candidate, a Special Electoral College shall cast their votes by secret ballot for the first five contestants to be short-listed."
The Electoral College
It said the Special Electoral College to select the five aspirants to contest the flagbearership shall comprise the National Council, the National Executive Committee, all members of the National Council of Elders and all NPP Members of Parliament (MPs).
The rest are three representatives of each of the special organs of the party, past national officers, three representatives each from every external branch, founder members during the registration of the party at the Electoral Commission and all party card bearing ministers of state.
At the end of the day, those who would be selected by the Special Electoral College will contest the flag bearer position.
In other words, it is one thing making a declaration, as it is the Special Electoral College that would determine who qualifies to contest the presidential primary.
Presidential Aspirants
Although the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is yet to formally declare his intentions of contesting the NPP presidential primary, some party stalwarts either covetly or overtly have started campaigning for him.
So far, leading members of the party who have officially declared their intention and launched their bid for the flagbearership are the former Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen and former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto.
The others are a former Minister of Energy, Boakye Agyarko; the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, and a former Presidential Spokesperson and General Secretary of the party, Kwabena Agyepong.
The rest are a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Joe Ghartey, who is also the MP for Essikado-Ketan; a former MP for Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimoh and a former Minister of State, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, who is also a former MP for Offinso North.
Timelines
Meanwhile, a statement signed and issued by the General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Frimpong Kodua after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Council meetings held on Monday (April 3) said nominations for the presidential primary would open on May 26, 2023 and close on June 24, 2023.
Parliamentary primary
For the parliamentary primary, the statement said nominations would be opened in constituencies where the party has no sitting MPs also known as ‘Orphaned constituencies’ on June 16 and closed on July 14, 2023.
It said elections in the orphaned constituencies would be held from August 1 to December 2, 2023 to elect parliamentary candidates to contest on the party’s ticket in the 2024 general election in those constituencies.
The statement said nominations would be opened on December 20, 2023 and closed on January 4, 2024 in constituencies where the party has sitting MPs, followed by elections on February 24, 2024.
Ban
However, the statement said the party had barred its national, regional and constituency executive members, as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) from contesting in constituencies where the party has sitting MPs.