Big names don't win elections - Francis Addai-Nimoh on NPP flagbearer race

Francis Addai-Nimoh has shot down claims that big names in politics give people an advantage over their peers in any political race.

According to the flagbearer-hopeful of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), although it appears some of the personalities who have also indicated their intentions to run for the vacant role in the party are ‘bigger’ than him, that is not what will win them the elections.

He explained that it takes such attributes as character and endearment to be able to win the hearts of the delegates of the party.

“Big names do not win elections. Elections are won by your character, by your good self – endearing yourself to the electorates, articulating your vision and they having the acceptability for you that you could be, and you are qualified to be their leader; not necessarily any name as such,” he explained.

Speaking with GhanaWeb TV’s Etsey Atisu in an interview on Election Desk, Francis Addai-Nimoh recalled how, for instance, he out-performed many more experienced names in the party during the 2014 presidential primaries of the NPP.

He said that because of the confidence the delegates have in him, he came out third in that race, even though he was regarded as the underdog in the race.

“Similarly, in 2014, when the seven contestants, and I was one of them, I was seen to be the underdog; I was seen to be someone unknown in the political environment of our country. The other six contestants had all worked under J. A. Kufuor’s administration either as ministers of state, or deputy ministers of state, and Addai-Nimoh had not been in that position before.

“But when we went through that process in 2014, I came in third, which was an enviable position that I secured for myself, and that shows the potential that the NPP delegates found in me and then encouraged me to make progress with this ambition,” he added.

The former Member of Parliament for Mampong also shared some other reasons why he is vying for the flagbearer position of the NPP again.

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