Two flagbearer aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have petitioned the leadership of the party to consider re-scheduling the date for the party’s national delegates’ congress slated for October 18.
The two, Francis Addai Nimoh and Alan Kyeremanten are pleading for more time to allow them reach out to the larger number of delegates who are expected to vote to elect a flagbearer.
The NPP per its election guidelines is expected to organize a final delegates’ congress after pruning down the number of aspirants from seven to five at a recently held super delegate’s congress.
Two out of the final five aspirants, Kofi Osei Ameyaw and Joe Ghartey, have bowed out of the contest.
[contextly_sidebar id=”s4gqZwogOawktUferLWoTN2uiBndp18d”]This leaves, three candidates; Nana Akufo-Addo, Alan Kyeremanten and Francis Addai Nimoh to now vie to lead the NPP into the 2016 general elections.
However, in an interview with Citi News, Addai Nimoh one of the petitioners said the time frame renders him ineffective for any meaningful campaign to convince delegates.
“We have only 48 days remaining for the main election to be conducted and we think that that period is inadequate for over 140,000 delegates to be interacted with by the aspirants in the 275 constituencies nationwide,” he remarked.
He insisted that it is not practical for the aspirants to get their message to the delegates within the 48-day period.
He agreed with his fellow contender, Alan Kyeremanten that the October 18 delegates’ congress should be postponed.
Addai Nimoh was convinced that postponing the congress will be in the interest of party if the national executives consider his petition.
Organizing the congress on the scheduled date is likely to “deny the delegates from having access to the aspirants so that they can access each one of us and make an informed decision to vote for whoever they want to vote for.”
He pointed out that the decision lies with the NPP’s national council but he was certain that “it should not be a difficult for the national council to have a second look at its decision for a review.”
Meanwhile, Citi News sources has it that the national council of the NPP will be meeting on Thursday to consider the petition brought before it by the two flagbearer aspirants.
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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