Confirmed: NPP Set Dates For Presidential, Parliamentary Primaries

The National Council of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has confirmed that the party will hold its conference to elect its flagbearer for the December 2024 presidential general elections in November 2023.

The Council is also said to be considering the conduct of its parliamentary primaries to elect parliamentary candidates for constituencies where it has sitting Members of Parliament in February 2024.

The party in the 8th Parliament, has one hundred and thirty-seven (137) seats. The independent MP for the Fomena Constituency however works with the NPP Caucus, which brings the number of the majority caucus to 138.

 

On “orphan constituencies” (parliamentary seats occupied by the opposition), the National Council said the parliamentary candidates for such constituencies will take place in 1st August to 2md December, 2023

There are currently one hundred and thirty-six (136) orphan constituencies with the exception of the Assin North Constituency seat which is technically vacant because of a Supreme Court injunction on the sitting NDC MP stopping him from holding himself as an MP. The case is however pending at the High Court.

Ahead of the National Council meeting, some NPP Members of Parliament advocated for the party’s presidential and parliamentary (sitting MPs) primaries to take place at the same time.

 

 

The front runners

Former trades and agriculture ministers Alan Kyerematen and Afriyie Akoto respectively have set their campaigns in motion to lead the party ahead of the 2024 elections after resigning from Akufo-Addo’s cabinet in January. They are likely to face off with Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who is yet to officially announce his bid to succeed his boss although his handlers say he will contest.

Others are MP for Assin Central Kennedy Agyepong, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong (KAA), a former presidential spokesperson and party general secretary, former attorney-general and minister of justice, Joe Ghartey, who is also the MP for Essikado-Ketan, a former MP for Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimoh, and a former minister of state, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, who is also a former MP for Offinso North.

 

 

Below is the statement outlining the dates for the primaries: