Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has expressed his strongest intention yet to enter the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearership contest scheduled for August this year.

Addressing a group of his supporters in the Volta Region, Bawumia emphasized the NPP's determination to "break the eight," indicating the party's ambition to achieve a historic third consecutive term in power following President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's two terms (eight years), which will conclude in 2025.

“I want you to know that I appreciate your support, we are going to break the eight. First of all, we are going to have to go and file for the flagbearership which I am going to do,” he declared to huge cheers and applause.

Standing in front of an office labelled ‘Supporters of DMB Hohoe” and flanked by the Volta Regional Minister Dr. Archibald Letsa, Bawumia stressed:

“Winning the flagbearership, break the eight and go into Jubilee House, I need your support, thank you very much.”

Among the 10 aspirants who have publicly declared their interest in succeeding Akufo-Addo as the leader of the NPP, only about half of them have obtained nomination forms for the contest, initially scheduled for later this year.

If more than five individuals file to contest, a preliminary round will be conducted, narrowing down the field to five candidates for the main round of voting.

The other nine known aspirants include:

John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen - Former Trade and Industry Minister

Kennedy Ohene Agyapong - Member of Parliament for Assin Central

Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto - Former Minister for Food and Agriculture

Boakye Agyarko - Former Minister of Energy

Joe Ghartey - Former Minister for Railway Development

Kwabena Agyei Agyapong - Former General Secretary of the NPP

Francis Addai Nimoh - Former Member of Parliament for Mampong

Eric Sakyi Nketiah - Senior Lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW)

Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku - Former Member of Parliament for Offinso North constituency and Minister for Regional Cooperation and NEPAD.