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The countdown to any election year starts three years before voting, with internal party elections. These elections start in the main, at constituency, regional and national level.

As you read this piece, potential regional and national candidates have been criss-crossing the country, trying hard to get their supporters elected at the polling station level.
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is in a far better shape, politically than the party they beat in December 7, 2016 elections – the National Democratic Congress (NDC). The NDC, as per the Kwesi Botchway report, has started the manual registration of its supporters.

Today, we focus on the potential candidates for the slot of National Chairman of the NPP.

Mr. Freddie Blay- he is the acting National Chairman of the party. He became acting with the suspension of the elected Chairman, Mr. Paul Afoko. Freddie Blay, a former Member of Parliament (MP) of the Convention Peoples party (CPP), co-operated with the kufuor government in Parliament. He defected formally to the NPP when he lost his parliamentary seat and with the support of persons who are ardent supporters of then candidate Nana Akufo-Addo, became the first National First Vice Chairman. His selling points include the fact that he steered the NPP into a massive win over the NDC. He is also seen as a stabilizing factor between the two main factions in the NPP – the Kufuor and Akufo-Addo factions.

Mr. Stephen Ntim – he will be making his fourth attempt to be the National Chairman. He would have won at his last attempt if the votes of the Akufo-Addo faction had not been split between him and another Akufo-Addo candidate, Mr. Fred Oware. One of his main selling points will be that Mr. Ntim has suffered for the party and ‘Ntim has suffered for the party ‘Ntim Abre’ is likely to be his main slogan.

Alhaji Abdul Rahman (aka Alhaji Short) – this is a candidate who is relatively unknown and unless there is actual proof that President Akufo-Addo is backing him is unlikely to make any impact;

Mr. Fred Oware – it is reported that attempts are being made for him to step down and support Mr. Ntim. This is to avoid the situation of him getting potential Ntim votes.

It is early days yet but it looks like as straight one between Stephen Ntim and Freddie Blay.