The vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has taken a giant lead in the governing New Patriotic Party’s presidential primaries by winning the super delegates conference votes with a landslide.
Dr Bawumia polled 629 votes representing 68.15 per cent of valid votes cast to come atop in the first-past-the-post voting on Saturday to set a date with four other candidates on November 4, 2023.
The exercise was to prune down the number of candidates in the race from 10 to five pursuant to Article 12(b) of the party’s constitution.
“Where there are more than five contestants for nomination as the party’s presidential candidate, a special electoral college shall cast their votes by secret ballot for the first five contestants to be shortlisted,” it reads.
In distant second is Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, who got 132 votes representing 14.30 per cent with former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, coming third with 95 votes, representing 10.29 per cent.
Former agriculture minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, came fourth with 36 votes representing 3.90 per cent.
Tied on nine votes apiece representing 0.98 per cent in fifth, a tire-breaker run-off would be held on September 2, 2023 for former Mampong MP, Francis Addai-Nimoh and former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko.
Four other candidates, Kwabena Agyapong (six), Joe Ghartey (four), Kwadwo Poku (three) and Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, have fallen off in the race having placed seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth respectively.
By this results, Dr Bawumia heads into the main conference on November 4, barring any changes, where more than 200,000 delegates across the country would be expected to vote, confident to secure the ticket.
Speaking with journalists after casting his vote here in Accra on Saturday, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo asked delegates to elect a leader who has workable solutions to Ghana’s current socio-economic challenges.
According to President Akufo-Addo, the NPP has a demonstrable track record as better managers of the economy and that the delegates have that onerous task to elect the right candidate for the job in unity.
“We’ll have a good record to defend, and we will have some significant achievements which will address the concerns of the Ghanaian people.
“I’m very confident that we are going to the elections in 2024 with good standing.”
He reiterated his impartiality in the contest despite lobbies from some of the candidates for him to endorse their bids.
“There are some who are calling for me to endorse their candidates. I haven’t endorsed anybody. The election is not mine. I don’t decide it, it’s the delegates in our party who decide,” he stressed.
On his part, Dr Bawumia said he was humbled and called for unity within the rank and file of the party towards a common goal; to win the 2024 general elections.
“I am very humbled and very grateful for this election but this is only the first step of winning the flagbearership of the party, so I know that there is work ahead.
“The main event is December 2024, and as we all work together we have to keep in mind that what we are working towards is a win in December 2024.
“This will require a lot of unity amongst ourselves and amongst all the flagbearer hopefuls. It is very important that as we go on this journey towards December 2024, we don’t have cracks in our ranks. We have to all work together and not destroy this very important unity that we have,” he told journalists at his Accra residence.
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