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In the lead-up to the national delegates congress, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, chairman of the National Council of Elders of the ruling New Patriotic Party, has promised that no candidate will receive preferential treatment.
The vetting committee for the NPP successfully screened all ten candidates aiming to lead the party in the 2024 election, and last week it concluded its work.
The last person before the committee was Francis Addai-Nimoh, a former Mampong MP.
Nine additional candidates, including Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, Former Energy Minister Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko, Former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, and Former Trade and Industry Minister Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, have all met with the nine-person vetting committee, which is chaired by former Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye.
The remaining candidates are Joe Ghartey, a former attorney general and minister of railway development, Kofi Konadu Apraku, an economist, Owusu Afriyie Akoto, former Agric Minister and the MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong.
On Thursday, July 20, 2023, Owusu-Agyemang remarked on the Asaase Breakfast Show monitored by Ghanatodayonline.com that the rules wouldn’t be changed to favor any single candidate.
“I assure you, let them relax: the constitution is also there. So are the rules and regulations for the elections, which have also been crafted,” he said. “So, at all times, fair application of the rules of procedure and regulations will apply.”
“It will not be varied to suit anybody. I just want to assure them that they may relax. But, for now, the best thing is for them to trust that we have done it several times since 1992, and we are not going to do anything untowardly that will favour one person or the other” Mr Owusu-Agyemang said.
According to its constitution, the NPP will reduce its list of potential presidential candidates from ten to five on August 26.
The NPP claims to be creating a fresh register in the meantime for its special delegates’ congress on August 26.
The party claims that a fresh registration will be required because some of the delegates have already passed away.
A fresh register would be available by the end of the week, according to Justin Kodua Frimpong Koduah, general secretary of the party.
“We are in the final stage of doing the compilation. Basically, we are not going to exceed 1000 so between 900 and 1000 delegates will form the special electoral college.”
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
