Former Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto and former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko have filed their nomination forms to contest in the NPP's Presidential Primaries.

The two submitted their forms to the Presidential Elections Committee of the party at its headquarters at Asylum Down in Accra.

Speaking to the media after filing his nomination, Dr. Afriyie Akoto said the party needs to be united to stand a chance of breaking the eight.

“You cannot break the 8 with half an egg. It has to be the full egg and everybody in this party is important in this respect, especially the delegates who have been given the constitutional powers to choose a flagbearer of this party.

“I hope that at the end of the day, we will be given the opportunity for delegates to listen to us and make the right choice so that this party can retain power come 2024”.

Touching on the small team of people who escorted him to the party office, Dr. Afriyie Akoto said his supporters came on their own volition.

According to him, his campaign team did not bus or hire big buses to convey people to the party's headquarters.  

“Let me say here that everybody who has come here including representatives of farmers, are here on their own accord, you cannot see any bused crowd or any big commercial vehicle bringing people to come and support.

“People have come on their own volition and own conviction that my candidature will be good for the people of Ghana and the NPP and I am very grateful,” the former Agric Minister added.

Meanwhile, Mr. Boakye Agyarko who is also a former policy adviser of the party, and the first aspirant to pick forms says he is ready to serve.

Background

The NPP opened nominations on May 26, 2023, with aspirants given up to June 24 to submit forms.

So far, 10 presidential hopefuls have picked up nomination forms to contest the NPP’s flagbearer slot.

They include: Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, a former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, the immediate past Minister of Trade and Industry, Kwabena Adjei Agyapong, a former General-Secretary of the Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, and Joe Ghartey, the Member of Parliament for Essikadu-Ketan and former Minister of Railway Development.

The rest are Boakye Agyarko, former Minister of Energy, Prof. Addai Nimoh, former MP for Mampong, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, a former Minister of Trade and Industry, and Kwadwo Nsafoa Opoku, an expert in energy and related matters. 

A Special Delegates Congress will be held on August 26, 2023, to select five of the presidential aspirants.

The top five aspirants will then contest for the flagbearer slot on December 4, 2023, to elect one to lead the party in the 2024 general elections.