A flagbearer aspirant of the governing New Patriotic Party, Kwadwo Poku, says it is too early for the party’s leadership to make an attempt at getting some aspirants to back out of the race in a bid to find a consensus candidate.
Speaking on Top Story on JoyFM, the energy analyst explained that there is a gap between what the party wants and what the grassroots would like.
As a result, Mr Poku stated that it would be fair to rather let all candidates who have signed up for the flagbearer race to go through the “super delegates”, where carefully selected party delegates will vote for whom they would like to lead the party.
“The super delegate allows us to test the strength of the 10, then how they emerge now informs what the packing order for this election is going to be. Because, I know five who strongly believe they would,” he said, adding it would be difficult to ask some aspirants who believe in themselves to give up the race.
“When you talk of a consensus candidate at this stage, it’s too early. Because the party for me is such that I think the grassroots and the big men at the top, there is a big gap in the alignment. I’ve always said that I’m 120% sure that I will win. I am sure that Alan Kyerematen and Dr Bawumia feel they will win. There’s Kennedy Agyapong, and Dr Afriyie Akoto, so which of these are you going to ask to back down and back one?”
Ten individuals, including Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and former Trades Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, have all picked nomination forms to contest for the flagbearership position.
Following the increase in numbers, the Council of Elders of the NPP is said to be holding crucial meetings with flagbearer aspirants in an attempt to talk some of them out of the race.
Chairman of the Council of Elders, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, believes the party’s interest will be better served if the aspirants could agree on what he calls a “consensus candidate.”
“We’ve pressed upon them what we call negotiation in political strategy, and if the strategy demands that some people must step down, I think in the interest of the party and its unity, it will not be out of place.”
“Even if after the electoral college, we keep talking as a fraternity, then we should be able to understand ourselves.”
But Mr Poku says some candidates may be popular within the party but others like himself have better ideas and campaign messages which could sit well with the public.
He noted that as such, every candidate needs to be given a chance to sell their message before the election.
“Bear in mind that that super delegate is only 900 people, but it will give us a litmus test. Because everybody has gone around to all 16 regions to the regional and constituency chairmen and executives, and they would vote for who they think is the most suitable,” Mr Poku said.
“Let’s go and do the super delegate on August 26 and see the order. They will give us a litmus test of who we think is best. If those results come back and backing one person comes up then we will now be able to have it clearly at that point.”
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