The Eastern regional capital, Koforidua will play host to the New Patriotic Party’s 2018 annual Delegates Congress on Saturday.
Delegates and candidates alike are gearing up for the crucial elections which could see a change in the party’s leadership.
Some 6,000 delegates from 275 constituencies are expected at the Koforidua Technical University Park where the new officials will be elected to steer the affairs of the party for the next four years.
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The region is already a stronghold of the party. Out of 33 seats, the party won 27 leaving a paltry 6 for the opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC in the 2016 general elections.
Positions to be contested are; National Chairperson – First, Ssecond and Third-, General Secretary, National Treasurer and National Organiser.
The rest are National Women Organiser, National Youth Organiser and National Nasara Coordinator.
So far, some 41 candidates have been vetted and approved for these positions by the party.
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Key position to look out for is the chairmanship slot of which three strong members are contesting; Freddie Blay – who is acting chairman – Stephen Ayesu Ntim and Dr Richard Amoako Baah. Mr Blay and Mr Ntim are undoubtedly the front-runners, but Dr Amoako Baah is also confident of a win.
The position has been made quite popular by Mr Blay and Mr Ntim as the former prepares to hand over some 275 buses he has purchased for all constituencies.
But Mr Ntim who is contesting for the position for the fourth time finds the gesture inappropriate. While addressing a press conference earlier this week, Ntim accused Blay of vote buying, adding that the buses were symbols of “artificially engineered endorsement”.
It remains to be seen if these allegations will affect voting on Saturday.
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Frank Freduah Antoh, Rita Asobayire and Ken Wuud Nusornu are vying for the Vice Chairmanship position and are all tipped to win.
John Boadu is being challenged by Richard Ahiagbah for the General Secretary position.
The party has also cleared Sammy Awuku, Tweneboa Kodua Emmanuel and Sulemana Sadik Nabichienga for the National Organiser position. Mr Awuku is the clear front-runner in this contest.
The position of Treasurer is being contested by Kwabena Abankwah-Yeboah, Kwabena Oppong Frimpong, Mary Posch-Oduro, Hajia Ruka Ahmed, Abrahim Obeng Amoakohene and Nuhu Bayorbo Mahama.
Henry Nana Boakye, Kamal-Deen Abdulai, Emmanuel Nana Bediako D. Appiah and Dominic Kwesi Eduah will be vying for the National Youth Organiser position.
Candidates for the Women’s Organiser position are Kate Gyamefua and Joyce Konokie Zempare.
Abubakari Sulemana, aka Lakulaku, Alhaji Rashid Adam, Ahmed Zaruk Nuhu, Iddrisu Abdulai Dipantiche, Alhaji Shuaibu Musah Sheriff and Baba Gado Ibrahim have been cleared for the National Nasara Coordinator position.
Other aspiring candidates for the same position are Abdul Aziz Haruna Futa, Dauda Abdul Rahman Duodu, Alhaji Aminu Abu, Sulemana Alhassan Atakpo, Abdul-Rahman Diallo, Kazeem Ibrahim, Salihu Yahaya Bo and Ali Suraj.
