Mr Stephen Ayesu Ntim has downplayed claims that the withdrawal of former Upper West Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alhaji Abdul-Raman Abubakar affectionately called Alhaji Short could affect his chances of leading the party as its National Chairman.

Mr Ntim who took his turn at the party’s vetting on Friday, June 1, 2018, said he is fired up to claim a resounding victory indicating that his hopes are banked on God and the delegates who are the kingmakers of the party.

According to him, he is in constant touch with the party kingmakers and that he trusts that he will be considered this time.

Mr Ntim is going into the race for the fourth time and it is his expectation that he would be lucky having placed second in all the three consecutive attempts to chair the elephant family.

Speaking briefly to MyNewsGH.com after vetting last Friday, he said” I have visited and told them my plans and programs for the next four years. They appreciate the fact that I have visited them in their constituencies and will continue to do that when I am elected as the chairman of the party”

He also described himself as the grassroots man as all his works over the years points to that fact.

“For instance through my effective grassroots mobilization, I gave Nana Addo over 94% in 2014 when he appointed me the middle sector belt coordinator for the primaries election.

So basically my goal is to make the party stronger for victory 2020 and beyond. The good news is that NPP is performing in government under His Excellency Nana Akufo Addo and for that matter, there is the need to energize the base for victory 2020 and that is what is going to be done under my chairmanship”, he promised.