Conduct early congress to help us properly market new flagbearer – Greater Accra NPP chairmen

Constituency chairs of the ruling New Patriotic Party in the Greater Region are demanding an early congress for the party’s flagbearer elections.

According to the Greater Accra Constituency Chairman Caucus of the party, an early election will afford the party a greater advantage in properly marketing the elected flagbearer.

According to a Joynews report sighted by GhanaWeb, the Caucus at a meeting held on Tuesday, January 17, at Susuana Lodge in Labone, emphasised their disagreement with any plans to hold the elections next year.

“We don’t agree to what the party wants to do. In fact, the General Secretary wants an early Congress but the system is pushing against it, which we don’t understand.

“We need time to market the flagbearer to Ghanaians and we can’t afford to not break the eight,” one of constituency chairmen said.

He added, “we strongly want the leadership to consider our plea in the interest of the party and Ghanaians as a whole. That is all we are asking for.”

Meanwhile, there have been growing calls within the NPP for an early congress ahead of Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary elections in 2024.

Those in support of this argument believe an early congress will help the ruling party to advance its agenda of “Breaking the 8.”

The party’s Member of Parliament for Subin, Eugene Boakye Antwi has argued similarly.

“Going by experience, my view is that let us hold the super delegates as early as say next spring, March thereabouts, give them four or five months to campaign around the country. By August when Parliament is on recess like this, we vote for both Parliamentary and Presidential, get it off the way.

“The most important thing is that we must look at the party. Akufo-Addo will not be a candidate in 2024 so whoever the candidate will be at that time is the one we should be aiming at selecting, partnering the President in terms of all these Regional tours the President is doing,” he said in a JoyNews interview in September last year.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the party is expected to meet later this month where a decision will be made on the date for the election.

Ahead of the flagbearer contest, the likes of Vice-President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; former Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyeremanten, and Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong have been tipped as contenders.

GA/WA