NPP presidential primary: Focus on all candidates - Addai-Nimoh urges media

A flag bearer hopeful of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Francis Addai-Nimoh, has urged the media to refrain from portraying the party’s upcoming presidential primary as a contest among just a few candidates. 

He said the race to lead the party to break the eight during the 2024 general elections should be seen by all as a contest for all who have shown interest.

Mr Addai-Nimoh, who is a former NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Mampong in the Ashanti Region said this yesterday after he was vetted by the party’s presidential vetting committee.

He was the last to be vetted out of the 10 candidates who submitted their nomination forms to contest the party’s flag bearer position since the process began last Monday.

Aspirants

On that Monday, the immediate past Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen; a businessman and energy expert, Kwadwo Poku, and Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, went through the process.

While on Tuesday, a former Minister of Energy, Boakye Agyarko; a former General Secretary and presidential spokesperson, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, and MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong were vetted.

A former Minister of State and Economist, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku; the immediate past Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, and a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and Member of Parliament (MP) for Essikado-Ketan, Joe Ghartey, went through the process yesterday. 

Campaign

Mr Addai-Nimoh, who was accompanied by few attachés and members of his inner circle, just like other candidates throughout the process, said he was highly optimistic of being part of the top five after the party’s Special Electoral College elections.

Dubbed; “Super Delegates Conference”, it would be held on Saturday, August 26, 2023 to cut down the number of candidates from 10 to five.

“This is not my first experience; 2014 was my first time in seeking to lead the NPP.

At that time, I was described as the unknown person, yet, out of seven, I came in third.

So I’m highly optimistic of coming out as part of the first five and to go for the main contest in November and to lead the party,” he explained.  

Asked if he felt that any candidate was being favoured, the former Mampong MP said that the ground rules set by the party’s National Council being implemented through the office of the party’s general secretary, in his opinion, had been smooth and was not favouring any candidate.

“The party structure will not tell you how to campaign or secure your votes.

That is for every individual candidate.

So unless there are clear cut issues that tend to favour someone, at this stage, I have not seen anything,” he explained. 

Decorous, fair

Addressing the media to signify the official end of the process, the committee headed by Rev. Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye as chairman, stated that all hopefuls were decorous, respected the committee and answered all questions to the best of their abilities.

“We have had no occasion to say that anyone had misconducted themselves, even when the person thought a particular question was unexpected, they still answered them to our satisfaction”, spokesperson of the committee, Osei Bonsu Amoah said.

Mr Amoah said everybody who appeared before it will attest to the fact that they were candid, fair and gave all of them the opportunity to respond to their questions and that they posed relevant questions to each of the hopefuls irrespective of status.