NPP polls: Aspirants to be vetted today

Candidates aspiring for the various national executive positions in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are scheduled to face the party’s National Elections Committee for them to be vetted from Monday, May 28, 2018.

The vetting should have started on Thursday May 17 and on Thursday, May 24, 2018, but had to be postponed in the last minute.

The vetting is to ensure that the aspirants qualify to contest the various positions in the party.

The NPP had earlier fixed June 17, 2018, as the date for the National Delegates Congress to be held in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, but because it will coincide with the celebration of the Muslim Festival of Id-il- Fitri, the election has been rescheduled for July 7, 2018.

The NPP had earlier fixed June 17, 2018, as the date for the National Delegates Congress to be held in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, but because it will coincide with the celebration of the Muslim Festival of Id-il- Fitri, the election has been rescheduled for July 7, 2018.

A five-member National Elections Committee, comprising Rev. Prof. Samuel Asante-Antwi as the Chairman, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Madam Agnes Okudzeto, a former National Third Vice Chairperson, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the MP for Ablekuma West and Evans Nimako, the Acting Director of Research and Elections, has been put in place to oversee the conduct of the NPP national elections.

National Chairman

There seems to be an interesting contest ahead of members and supporters of the NPP as they go to the polls in July to elect national officers to steer the affairs of the party for the next four years.

Five stalwarts of the party are gunning for the topmost position of national chairman of the party.

They are the current Acting National Chairman, Freddie Blay, the immediate-past Upper West Regional Chairman of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Abdul-Rahman (alias Alhaji Short), a former National Vice Chairman, Stephen Ayensu Ntim, who has a long-standing contest for the National Chairmanship position, former Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr. Richard Amoako Baah and a former Spokesperson for the late Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, David Amankwah Boadu.

National Vice Chairman

Eight aspirants, including the incumbent, Fredrick Fredua Antoh, (a.k.a F.F. Antoh), former Volta Regional Chairman, Ken-Wuud Noworsu, former Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Agnes Chigabatia, a former National Women’s Organizer, Rita Talata Asobayire, former MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, George Isaac Amoo, Lawyer Vida Agyekum Acheampong and former Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency Chairman, Michael Omari Wadie, are slugging it out for the first, second and third vice chairperson positions.

General Secretary

For the General Secretary slot, the acting General Secretary, John Boadu, who is also the National Organizer and Mr. Richard Ahiagbah, a member of the NPP communication team in the United States (US), are facing each other.

National Organizer

The incumbent National Youth Organizer, Sammy Awuku has two other contenders, namely, Nana Bediako and Sadik Nabichienga, gunning for the position of national organizer.

Youth Organizer

Those vying for the national Youth Organizer position are Dominic Eduah, Nana Bediako, Henry Nana Boakye, Kamal-Deen Abdulai and Ganiyu Alhassan.

National Women’s Organizer

The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba, left the position for two straight fights between former Deputy Women’s Organizer, Kate Gyamfua and former Greater Accra Regional NPP Women’s Organizer, Joyce Konokie Zemparie.

National Treasurer

For the position of National Treasurer, incumbent Kwabena Abankwah Yeboah will battle it out with Abraham Obeng Amoakohene, Nuhu Bayorbo Mahama, Mary Posch Oduro and Saida Ruka Ahmed.

Nasara Coordinator

Fourteen aspirants are also contesting the Nasara Coordinator position. They include Abubakari Sulemana, aka Lakulaku, a former Nasara Coordinator; Alhaji Rashid Adam, Alhaji Ahmed Zaruk Nuhu, Alhaji Shumbu Musah Shariff, Abdul Aziz Harunafuta of Accra Hearts of Oak FC fame, Baba Gado Ibrahim; Alhaji Salihu Yahaya Bo, Sulemana Alhassan Atakpo and Ali Suraj.

Vetting schedules

The Acting Director of Research and Elections of the NPP, Evans Nimako, in a reminder issued on behalf of the National Elections Committee of the party, asked the 14 candidates aspiring for the Nasara Coordinator position to appear before the Elections Committee on Monday, May 28, 2018.

He said on Tuesday, May 29, all the three candidates for the National Organizer position – Sammy Awuku, Emmanuel Tweneboah and Sulemana A. Sadik Nabicheinga – are expected to appear before the Committee for screening.

On the same day, the two National Women’s Organizer aspirants – Joyce Konokie Zimpare and Kate Gyamfua – as well as the National Youth Organizer aspirants, Dominic Kwesi Eduah, Henry Nana Boakye, Emmanuel Nana Bediako and Kamal-Deen Abdulai, are expected to face the committee.

John Boadu and Richard Ahiagbah who are vying for the General Secretary slot are expected meet the vetting panel on Wednesday, May 30.

Also on Wednesday, candidates for the National Treasurer position – Kwabena Abankwah-Yeboah, Abraham Oben Amoakohene, Nuhu Bayorbo Mahama, Mary Posch-Oduro, Haji Ruka Ahmeed and Kwabena Oppong Frimpong are expected to be vetted.

On Thursday, May 31, all the seven National vice Chair aspirants being screened.

Then on June 1, the five candidates vying for the National Chairman slot, namely Freddie Worsemawu Blay (who is the current Acting Chairman of the party), Alhaji Abubakar Abdul-Rahman, Stephen Ayensu Ntim, Dr. Richard Amoako Baah and David Kankam Boadu will appear before the committee to be vetted.