The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu says the time period for the election of a flagbearer of the party lasts too long.
This, he believes, is among reasons accounting for the disunity in the party.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced the commencement of nominations for its flagbearer election on Friday, May 26, 2023, during the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Council meeting held on April 3, 2023. The nominations closed on Saturday, June 24, 2023.
Flagbearer elections: NPP to open nominations on Friday May 26
Between June and August, a Super Delegates’ Conference was organized to prune the number of aspirants to five. It is taking the party another three months to conduct its flagbearer election on November 4, 2023.
Many members, supporters, and flagbearer aspirants of the NPP have expressed concerns about happenings in the ruling party. They claim that certain occurrences do not augur well for unity among them.
The purported disunity, which some have attributed to “intimidation” and “manipulation” led to the resignation of a founding member, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen who has decided to contest as an independent candidate in the 2024 presidential election.
Alan resigns from NPP to contest as an independent candidate
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said the long wait for the flagbearer race could be one of the reasons for the negative happenings in the ruling party.
‘’These issues are coming up, because the programme to elect a flagbearer has been expansive. It’s been made to span for a very long time, and I never imagine that we are going to go this way. Some of us were arguing that this whole thing ought to have been held earlier and the time span also shortened. But we are in a democratic party. You may float an idea, but if the majority thinks otherwise, the majority will have their way. So, we are where we are. But I think I must admit, it is shaking the party a bit, but we will sail through,’’ he stressed.
He says the party’s leadership is working to calm tempers and address the challenges being faced.
‘’The Chairman of the Council of Elders called and wanted us to have an emergency meeting involving the component parts of the upper echelon of the party; the council of elders, of course the central party itself, the former and current presidents and Parliament and other major stakeholders of the party and some of the pioneers of the party…u bring them on board …we are looking at not too huge a number may be 9 to 11, to address the matter.’’ Mr. Kyei-Mensa-Bonsu revealed.