The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) says only members of its National Council will vote in the rerun between two presidential aspirants; Francis Addai Nimo and Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko, who had a tie in the just ended Super Delegates Conference.
Speaking to the media after a meeting by the council, General-Secretary of the party, Justin Frimpong Kodua explained that the decision is to cut cost and expedite the exercise ahead of the main conference.
He added that many of the external branch executives who were part of the Super Delegates have since left the country and will not be able to partake in the runoff hence, the decision to limit it to only members of the National Council.
Mr. Frimpong Kodua further explained that the decision is in line with the party’s constitution, which enjoins the council to take decisions in its interest.
“There will be a rerun but (in) the rerun, the delegates will not be those that constituted the Special Delegates. However, the National Council will break the tie meaning that members of the National Council are going to be the delegates for the election on Saturday,” he stated.
He explained, “the reason being that the Super Delegates has membership including our external branches who came from far and near to cast their votes and some of them have left the country and also the constitution of our party under Article 10 (3) gives the National Council the power to take decisions in the best and well being of the party.
It is based on this that the National Council has taken that decision to save cost and also to get it down as quickly as possible”
The NPP, on Saturday, August 26, 2023, held a Special Delegate Conference to prune the number of flag-bearer aspirants to 5.
Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Assin Central MP Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, former Trades Minister Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen and former Agric Minister Dr. Akoto Owusu Afriyie picked the top 4 positions after the polls.
Francis Addai Nimo and Boakye Agyarko, however, secured equal number of votes, tying at the fifth position.
The party had attempted to get one of them step aside but none of them was willing to back down, compelling it to conduct a rerun. The rerun is scheduled to come off on Saturday, September 2, 2023.
