Scramble for power: Meet the possible contenders for President Akufo-Addo’s position in 2024

The incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) will in 2023, a year to the expiration of the term of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, go to congress and elect a flagbearer who will lead the party into the 2024 elections.

Even though 2023 may seem very far away, those who have such political intentions seem to be working ahead of time in order to get support from the rank and file of the NPP.

Already, there is a prediction by some political analysts that the contest will surely be between Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the Trade and Industry Minister, Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen.

In the last few days, however, there have been other posters of possible candidates who will be joining the race aside Dr Bawumia and Alan Kyerematen.

Joe Ghartey

Joe Ghartey, the MP for Essikado-Ketan believes that in the last presidential primaries, he emerged third after Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Alan Kyerematen.

Immediately after winning the parliamentary elections in 2020, he quickly declared that he will be contesting for the flagbearership race in order to succeed President Akufo-Addo, an announcement that may have cost him a renewed ministerial appointment, some pundits believe.

“The truth is just one, last election I contested and I was third after Akufo-Addo and Kyerematen. 2024, God willing, I will stand for the flagbearership race to become the President of Ghana,” Joe Ghartey told journalists in December.

Alan Kyerematen

Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, the Trade and Industry Minister, is not new when it comes to the flagbearership race.

He first contested in 2007 and later in 2010 and 2014, but lost to Nana Akufo-Addo on all these occasions.

“As you know, a contest between Nana Akufo-Addo and Alan Kyerematen can be likened to the competitive matches between Hearts and Kotoko,” Alan Kyerematen stated in one of his speeches after the contest.

Alan Kyerematen has not openly declared his intention to contest for the flagbearership race but sources close to the minister have stated that he will be resigning from the Akufo-Addo administration in 2022 so that he can concentrate on his presidential ambitions.

Already, some of his supporters have started propagating his achievements through a publication dubbed “Alan news” in order to help sell the Alan Kyerematen brand to the NPP delegates.

Dr Mahamudu Bawumia

Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, many political analysts have indicated that he is the best man to succeed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

After being the running mate to President Akufo-Addo in the 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 elections, the NPP’s brilliant performance in government, as well as increased votes in northern Ghana, has been attributed to him.

Even though Dr Bawumia has not made it known to the public that he will be contesting in election 2024, some posters have emerged with Dr Bawumia’s picture indicating that he will be contesting for the presidential race.

Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku

Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku has been tipped to also contest for the flagbearership race of the NPP.

Even though he has not made his intentions public, posters have emerged with the picture of Dr Apraku indicating that he has an interest in succeeding President Akufo-Addo.

Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto

Dr Afriyie Akoto, the Minister for Food and Agriculture has vehemently denied that he was in the Ashanti Region meeting some NPP executive members to make his intentions known to them.

“I decided to go to Kumasi and have some rest during the weekend and try to recover from a fever I was running after I attended the Budget reading in Parliament on Friday 12 March 2021," Dr Akoto said in the statement, issued yesterday, Thursday 18 March.

“As a former Member of Parliament in the region and as a senior member of this government, I accepted to grant audience to some party executives who had been making calls for a meeting to discuss matters concerning the welfare of the party. However, such meetings will end with an amount given as a transportation [subsidy] to guests who came from far and near.”

“Totally false”, Dr Akoto told Accra-based Joy FM later Thursday. “I always meet party people when I go to Kumasi. And not only in Kumasi, I meet party people in my office in Accra, in my home because these are people that I associate with so what is the big deal?”