NPP to elect flagbearer in December - Afoko declares

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) will convene before December, 2014 to elect a presidential candidate for the 2016 presidential elections according to the party's national Chairman, Paul Afoko.

The NPP’s constitution requires that when they are in opposition, a presidential candidate is elected two years to a major election, and Mr. Afoko has indicated his administration’s preparedness to follow the status quo.

Mr. Afoko in all his interviews since becoming NPP chairman has indicated his determination to stand by provisions in the NPP constitution.

The NPP National Chairman has also hinted the possibility of the party going to a presidential primary by the end of this year with only one candidate.

Mr. Afoko stated, however, that, as a democratic party full of free-thinkers, NPP will allow the tenets of democracy to inform every decision it takes ahead of the 2016 general elections.

Mr. Afoko, who was elected chairman of the party on April 12, made this known on TV3's News @ 10 on Wednesday, April 23. He disclosed that the new executives will go by any decision that reflects the demands and needs of the party's wide support-base.

Ashanti regional chairman of the NPP had called on the party's prospective flagbearer aspirants in the next delegates' congress to back down on their decision once Nana Akufo-Addo declares his intention to contest again. Many party supporters had demanded the 2008 and 2012 flagbearer of the party, Nana Akufo-Addo, to make a pronouncement on his political future, after six months of shying away from the political limelight since the court turned down his petition to have the 2012 presidential election overturned.

To avoid experiencing a repeat of the bitter defeat suffered by the party in 2008 and 2012 respectively, Mr. Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Wontumi, appealed to every single member of the party to support the presidential ambition of Nana Akufo-Addo.

According to him, this would ensure unity within the party and strengthen it for the 2016 general elections. He added that it would be extremely difficult for any political party to win elections without unity.

There are calls also by some elements within the party to push the presidential primaries to June 2015. Former President Kufuor was elected in 1998 two years before the 2000 main election whiles Nana Addo was elected 2010 also two years before the 2012 general election.The party’s constitution also states that where there are more than five people desiring to contest for the flagbearership, a special Electoral College shall be constituted to bring the number of presidential aspirants to five.

Already ten people have declared to contest the flagbearerhip including Nana Akufo-Addo, Alan Kyerematen, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Prof Frimpong Boateng, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Kofi Osei Ameyaw, Joe Ghartey, Isaac Osei, Dr. Richard Anane and Francis Addai Nimoh.

Many of the party’s grassroot supporters are of the view that the Party’s 2008 and 2012 Presidential Candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, should be maintained as the Party’s flagbearer for the 2016 elections.

Nana Addo is the most popular person in the NPP, and arguable the most successful politician in Ghanaian politics, after the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

Nana Addo would easily command an overwhelming majority of the Special Electoral College if it is constituted.