Editors Note: In the light of credible reports that Nana Akufo-Addo will be contesting the New Patriotic Party (NPP) primaries for its 2016 flagbearership slots, we repeat a story we published recently on flagbearership permutations.
NPP is likely to elect a flagbearer in June. The revised constitution of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) states that in the event that more than five persons apply to contest the flagbearership slots of the party, the number should be reduced to five.
How can this be done? The constitution state that a 100 member National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party will take part in a mini election to reduce the number to five.
A leading member of the NPP in an interaction after lat Thursday�s NEC meeting asked some members of the press present, a question �Is it possible that the NEC can elect a very strong candidate and four weak ones to enable the strong candidate win easily?
He explained, �If out of the 10 candidates, two, A and B will share 90% of the 110,000 delegates votes, majority of the NEC members will vote for A and some nowhere near the stature of B, so that the full electoral college will have no choice but elect A as a lesser evil.�
He concluded, �I agreed with the expansion of the electoral college but disagreed with the NEC short-listing the number of candidates to five. Even if 15 persons apply to contest but the number is reduced to five, the party will still be a laughing stock. Many of us believe that this provision was done to avoid the number of presidential candidates being as many as 17 (as in 2007).�
One hint the Daily Dispatch has picked is that many of the presidential candidates will drop hints of their possible running mates, to influence the NPP electoral college.
A number of presidential pairs the Daily Dispatch has been picking up include:
(a) Nana Akufo-Addo/Mahamudu Bawumia
(b) Bawumia/Kyeremanteng/a Northern running mate
(c) Joe Ghartey/a Ga running mate
(d) Konadu Apraku/a northern running mate
(e) Frimpong Boateng/Mahamudu Bawumia
(f) Dan Botwe/ a Northern running mate.
It is looking increasingly likely that if Nana Akufo-Addo decides to contest, Dr. Bawumia will not contest. In the same vein, if Mr. Alan Kyerematen decides to contest, Dr. Richard Anane and Mr. Asamoah Boateng are likely to step down.
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