The New Patriotic Party officially opened nominations for its upcoming flagbearership contest on Friday, May 26, 2023.

At the close of day, four candidates successfully picked up their nomination forms.

Boakye Agyarko

Former energy minister, Boakye Agyarko, was the first to pick up nomination forms for the party's primaries.

A team led by Benjamin Ashitey Armah picked up the forms on behalf of the presidential hopeful at the party's headquarters in Accra on Friday, May 26, 2023.

Before picking up the nomination forms, Boakye Agyarko had previously met with all regional party executives during his tour.

According to Amarh, spokesperson for Mr. Agyarko's campaign team, the former minister was the best candidate for the party to retain power in 2024. He described Mr. Agyarko as the "engine" of public policy in the NPP, noting that he would restore hope for the ordinary Ghanaian when given the nod.

Kofi Konadu Apraku

Serial flagbearer aspirant, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, also had his nomination forms picked up on his behalf by his team.

Apraku is a Ghanaian politician, economist, corporate executive, diplomat, and a member of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Parliament of the 4th Republic of Ghana.

Dr. Apraku was the Member of Parliament for the Offinso North constituency in the fourth parliament of the fourth Republic of Ghana.

Under the John Agyekum Kufuor government, Dr. Apraku served in various government positions. He served as the Minister of Trade and Industry and was the Minister of Regional Cooperation and NEPAD between 2003-2005. He was the Chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, a group that includes the Ministers in charge of Integration, Finance, and Trade. He was a governor of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) from 2003 to 2006.

After picking up his nomination on Friday, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku's team said the NPP and Ghana needed a leader with political experience and economic prowess to turn the fortunes of the country around.

Mr. Kwame Obiri Nkansah, Director of Communication, Friends of Apraku, who picked up the forms, said, "We must go back to the basics if we want to address this economic crisis. Going back to the basics means growing what we eat and producing what we wear, and this is the focus of Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku."

Francis Addai-Nimoh

Another former contender for the NPP flagbearer slot, Francis Addai-Nimoh, also had nomination forms picked up for him on Friday.

Addai-Nimoh is a leading member of the NPP has represented the party in parliament in the past.

Addai-Nimoh has served as a Member of Parliament for Mampong between 2008 and 2016. He contested in the NPP's presidential primaries in 2014, where he lost.

Kwabena Agyei Agyepong

Former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has picked up a nomination to contest in the flagbearer contest.

After winning the general secretary position in 2015, Kwabena Agyepong and other national executives of the party were removed from office and suspended on grounds of being against the party's then flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

His suspension has since been reversed after the party won the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.

More to come

Meanwhile, other notable figures like Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Assin Central MP Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, former trade minister Alan Kyerematen, and former agric minister Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto are expected to pick up their nominations in the coming days.