THE HEAT is certainly on as the New Patriotic Party’s presidential congress to elect a flag-bearer to contest the approaching 2012 elections on the party’s ticket draws nigh.

Baring any unforeseen circumstances, the country’s largest opposition party will be the first political party in the country to elect its flag-bearer for the 2012 elections when it holds congress on Saturday, August 7, 2010.

DAILY GUIDE learnt that the Electoral Commission would distribute electoral materials this week to all the constituencies for polling to start on time across the country.

In the case of a run off, September 4, 2010 has been selected as a possible date.

The party’s Election Committee, chaired by Clement Tedem, a former member of the Council of State, will hold a press conference this week to brief the media on the preparedness of the party towards the congress.

A total of 115,000 delegates drawn from the 230 constituencies in the country will take part in the congress.

Five aspirants, including Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, a lawyer, Alan John Kyerematen, also a lawyer and Isaac Osei, MP for Subin, are contesting for the topmost position.

The other two are Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a heart surgeon and Lawyer John Koduah, a Kumasi-based evangelist.

Having paid the filing fee of GH¢25,000 and satisfying all requirements, the aspirants swung into action about two months ago, criss-crossing the country with their campaign teams to sell their messages to the delegates, with the view to securing their votes.

?To brighten their chances of emerging victorious, these aspirants contracted agents in the various constituencies to take charge of their campaigns to ensure that they stay connected with the delegates.?

These agents, for some time now, have taken over the media platform in the country, especially radio stations where they champion the cause of their respective candidates on daily basis.?

Expectedly, posters, T-shirts and other souvenirs communicating the ideals and visions of these contesting candidates have been widely distributed to delegates and party members in general across the country.

With less than six days for the congress to be staged, the contesting candidates and their agents appear to have increased the pace of their activities.

The aspirants are mopping up their campaigns before retiring to their respective locations to wait for the outcome of the polls.

Undeniably, the political atmosphere in the country has reached its peak, as agents and sympathizers of the contestants have intensified their activities geared towards putting their candidates in good light.

Political discussions have all been centered on the impending NPP congress, as agents and sympathizers of the aspirants have virtually taken over radio stations in the country.

These agents and sympathizers have been engaging in propaganda and counter-propaganda in a bid to make or unmake their favourites and opponents, with the sole aim of swinging victory to their side.

Intraparty crisis nearly arose when representatives of four of the five aspirants held a press conference and accused the party’s hierarchy of underhand dealings to favour a particular candidate.?

It took the intervention of the council of elders of the party to quench the blazing fire when they quickly organized a meeting between all the aspirants and resolved outstanding matters.?

With a few days to the election, wild allegations are expected to dominate the media headlines, as the candidates and their agents would roll out their final strategies for a resounding victory.?

It is the belief of many party gurus that the party will certainly hold a successful congress and come out more united and poised for action on December 7, 2012.

George Ayisi Boateng, a founding member of the party, is confident of a successful congress because measures put in place by the party were up to scratch.

Many political analysts say though five people are contesting for the flagbearership, the contest was a straight fight between Nana Addo and Alan Kyerematen.

Others however believe that Isaac Osei, the former Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, and the celebrated heart surgeon could pull a surprise at the congress, depending on how worried the delegates are about the so-called Alan and Nana Addo perceived rivalry.

Some are of the opinion that like what happened in the 2007 congress, none of the candidates would be able to secure the 50 plus one vote to win the contest for the first round and that second round was a must.

Whether the predictions and suggestions of the political analysts would come to reality or not, August 7 will decide as we keep our fingers crossed and patiently wait for the outcome of the polls.