NPP’s NEC Meeting Over Dates For Presidential And Parliamentary Primaries Ends In Deadlock

A planned National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to decide a date for its Presidential and Parliamentary primaries has ended inconclusively.

Today’s [Thursday, February 2, 2023] meeting which had in attendance the President, the Vice President, the Chief of Staff, some Members of Parliament and presidential hopefuls was expected to officially set a date for the remaining two elections on the party’s calendar.

It was also supposed to produce a date for the opening of nomination for both elections.

Already, blocs within the party are pushing for an early congress whilst others want the party to stick to its constitution of electing a flagbearer 12 months to a major election.

Citi News is learning the party’s National Council is currently in a meeting over the matter.

The much-anticipated meeting was postponed from January 31 to today following the absence of many of the Council members on the earlier date.

Reports attributed to the Council said the party has set November 2023 to elect its presidential candidate, January 2024 to elect parliamentary candidates for constituencies with sitting NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) and April 2024 for constituencies without sitting NPP MPs.

The former Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen has declared his intention to contest the flagbearership slot and lead the NPP. He will contest former Agriculture Minister, Dr Akoto Afriyie and former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko who have all declared their intention to contest.

On Wednesday, February 1, a former Member of Parliament for the Mampong Constituency, Francis Addai-Nimoh formally announced his intention to contest the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flagbearership race when nominations are opened.

The former legislator said preliminary research conducted by his team coupled with consultation and advice from some elders of the party, psyched himself to bring on board his professional knowledge and values to retain political power.