Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will file his nomination forms for the New Patriotic Party’s presidential race in the upcoming primaries today.In a Facebook post on Thursday, the Vice President announced that he would be undertaking such initiative personally.“God willing, tomorrow, Friday 16 June, I shall file my nomination forms and contest the New Patriotic Party (NPP: Development in Freedom) Presidential Primary,” he wrote.

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This comes a little over two weeks after former Vice Chairman of the NPP, Fred Oware and former National Organiser of the party, Sammy Awuku, picked up the nomination forms on behalf of the Vice President.The Vice President is set to battle nine contenders in the flagbearership race.

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They include former Energy Minister, Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko, former Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong; a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General and MP for Essikado-Ketan, Joe Ghartey, energy expert Kwadwo Poku.

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The rest are  former NPP General Secretary and presidential spokesperson, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong; a former Member of Parliament for Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimoh; a former Minister of State, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku and former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto.Already, the leadership of the party has revealed that only five aspirants will be allowed to compete following the vetting process slated for July 3-6.

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On Friday, July 21, the list of the qualified presidential candidates will be publicised and subsequently, balloting for position on the ballot paper will take place three days after.The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced a revised calendar of activities for its presidential and orphan constituency primaries for the 2024 general elections.

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The process will culminate in the election of five final aspirants for the party’s National Congress on Saturday, 4th November, 2023, and should there be a tie in the election of a candidate, there will be a run off on Saturday, 11th November 2023.The party’s National Congress will take place on Saturday, 4th November, 2023, and should there be a tie in the election of a candidate, there will be a run off on Saturday, 11th November 2023.

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Per reports, Dr Bawumia is considered the favourite. Speaker Alban Bagbin also shares a similar opinion just as the majority of NPP Members of Parliament including Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.The Speaker forecasted that the 2024 elections in Ghana will feature a showdown between former President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

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He made this projection during a courtesy call on the Overlord of Gonja, Yagbonwura Bii-Kunutu Jewu Soale, at his residence in Damongo on June 14, 2023.Meanwhile, the Vice President remains optimistic that he is best placed to retain power for the NPP in the upcoming polls to break the 8-year cycle term electorates seem to have adopted.

The Independent Ghana

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