Ten candidates have picked up nomination forms to run for president as of the end of the first week of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential primaries, scheduled for Saturday, November 4, 2023.
The nomination period was opened by the NPP on May 26 and is anticipated to end on June 24. Each candidate who picked up their application paid a GHC50,000 non-refundable nomination fee.
In accordance with additional requirements, all candidates who have picked up forms are required to submit completed documents on or before Saturday, June 24, 2023, and to pay a filing fee of GHC $300,000.
NPP Presidential Aspirants
As of today, Saturday 3 June, Boakye Agyarko, the former energy minister, Francis Addai Nimoh, the former MP for Mampong in the Ashanti Region, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, the former general secretary of the NPP, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, an economist and former minister for regional co-operation, and Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, a former minister of food and agriculture, have acquired forms to stand in the presidential primaries.
The vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, energy expert Kojo Poku, former trade and industry minister Alan Kyerematen, current member of parliament for Assin Central in the Central Region Kennedy Agyapong, and Joe Ghartey, a former minister of railroad development and current member of parliament for Essikado-Ketan in Western Region.
NPP Super Delegates
The NPP will hold a super delegates’ conference to reduce the number of aspirants to five as required by the party’s constitution on Saturday, June 24, 2023, if all ten of the candidates who have picked up nomination forms choose to file.
In case it becomes necessary, the NPP has already planned to hold a conference of super delegates on August 26 (a Saturday).
In accordance with the NPP’s constitution’s Article 12(5)(b), “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 Special Electoral College’s members are listed in the following clause. Those are “the National Council, the National Executive Committee, the Regional Executive Committees, National Council of Elders and Members of Parliament”.
The remainder 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”.
