It’s a day on which the first phase of fates will be determined for the 10 candidates vying to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

A day when these candidates will know their chances in contesting in the finals for the ultimate price; flagbearership.

So far, the ten aspirants include the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; the former Minister Trade and Industries, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen; former Minister for Energy, Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko and the former NPP general secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Mampong Francis Addai-Nimoh; MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong; Kofi Konadu Apraku; the former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto; and the former Attorney-General and Minister for Railways Joe Ghartey.

The Special Delegates Congress is enshrined in the constitutional provisions of the party in Article 12 which details the election of the party’s presidential candidate.

This can be found in Clause 5, subsection b - 12 (5) (b).

Below is what the article says:

Where there are more than five contestants for nomination as the Party’s Presidential Candidate, a Special Electoral College shall cast their votes by secret ballot for the first five contestants to be short-listed. The Special Electoral College shall comprise the following delegates:

(i) The National Council (ii) The National Executive Committee (iii) The Regional Executive Committees (iv) National Council of Elders (v) Members of Parliament (vi) Three representatives of each of special organs of the Party (vii) Past National Officers (viii) 3 representatives each from every external branch. (ix) Founding Members during the registration of the Party at the Electoral Commission (x) All New Patriotic Party card bearing Ministers when the Party is in government. Every delegate shall be entitled to one vote.

Regional Voting Centers:

The elections coming off on Saturday, August 26, 2023, has been decentralized and will take place in some 16 regional voting centers across the country.
These centers were announced during a press conference in Accra on Monday, August 22, 2022.

Making the announcement, Kwabena Abankwah-Yeboah, Vice Chairman of the NPP Presidential Elections Committee, said that all the aspirants and their team members have been informed of these arrangements.

Below are the regions and their corresponding polling centers as announced by the Committee:

1. Ashanti - KNUST, Law Faculty, Kumasi

2. Ahafo - Pastoral Center, Goaso

3. Bono - Pastoral Centre, Sunyani

4. Bono East - Kokroko Social Centre, Techiman

5. Central - Quadrangle, UCC, Cape Coast

6. Eastern - Koforidua Secondary Technical School

7. Greater Acera - YMCA, Adabraka, Accra

8. Northern Region - Tamale College of Education, Tamale

9. North East - Nalerigu Secondary School

10. Savannah - Damango Youth Center

11. Upper East - Bolgatanga Technical University Library Complex

12. Upper West - Old UDS Campas, WA

13. Oti - Dambai College of Education

14. Volta - Catholic Secretariat (Bishop Konings Centre), Ho

15. Western - Great Hall, Takoradi Technical University, Takoradi

16. Western North - Pastoral Center, Sefwi-Wiawso

17. National Headquarters, NPP HQ, Asylum Down

2nd delegates conference in the history of the NPP

This is the second time in the history of the party that a Special Delegates Congress is being held.

In August 2014, seven candidates in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) sought to vie for the flagbearership position in the 2016 general elections.

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, at the time a two-time presidential candidate of the party, was in the race together with his closest contenders: Alan Kyerematen, Addai Nimoh; a former member of parliament, Joe Ghartey; a former second deputy speaker of Parliament, Kofi Osei Ameyaw; a former member of parliament for Asuogyaman; a former information minister, Stephen Asamoah Boateng; and former trade minister, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku.

In this special election, 787 delegates made up of constituency chairmen, regional executives, members of parliament, national executive committee members, funding members, and members of the Council of elders participated.

In total, 740 ballots were cast, with Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo emerging as the leading candidate. He polled 598 votes, representing 80.78%, followed by Alan Kyerematen who obtained only 59 votes, representing 7.98%.

Addai Nimoh had a tie with Joe Ghartey, with both obtaining 22 votes each, representing 2.98% of the total votes cast.

Osei Ameyaw was the last of the 5, obtaining 16 votes, representing 2.17%.

Stephen Asamoah Boateng and Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku failed to make it to the ultimate race in October, having polled the least votes, 13 and 10, respectively.

Subsequently, the party held its final congress on October 18th, 2014, to choose the ultimate flagbearer to lead the party in 2016.

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WA

Meanwhile, watch Etsey Atisu's interview with Fati Ali, the first female GIJ SRC president, on #SayItLoud on GhanaWeb TV, below: