Will the leader of the New Patriotic Party for 2024 be decided based on the outcome of the upcoming super delegates conference?

Leading up to the Super Delegates Conference of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) scheduled for August 26, 2023, there is a misleading notion being spread by a faction within the party. They suggest that the candidate who secures a significant majority in the Special Electoral College Election will automatically win the presidential primaries on November 4, 2023.

It distorts one’s image by portraying them as a caricature, as it is misleading for individuals or groups to assume that the results of the special voting will mirror those of the upcoming November 4 presidential primaries, which will have approximately 208,342 eligible electorates.

Similar to the practices of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, Article 12(5)(b) of the NPP’s constitution explicitly outlines that, “Where there are more than five contestants for nomination, a Special Electoral College shall cast their votes by secret ballot for the first five contestants to be shortlisted”. It is important to understand that the Special Electoral College election, which shortlists five candidates for the presidential primaries, is predominantly administrative in nature.

The distinction between the Special Electoral College of the UK’s Conservative Party and that of the New Patriotic Party lies in the size of the ‘College’. While the Conservative Party’s special votes are cast by Members of Parliament of the Party, the NPP’s expanded electoral college consists of various stakeholders including the president, former president, national officers, founding members, the council of elders, NPP members of parliament, regional party executives, and representatives from special party wings, totaling around 900 individuals.

Again, the Conservative Party’s electoral college elects two candidates for a final contest, whereas the NPP’s electoral college chooses five candidates. The alignment between the results of the special voting and the main primaries has not consistently followed the same pattern.

In a special vote of the UK Conservative Party held on July 20, 2022, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak secured 137 votes, while his predecessor Liz Truss received 113, garnering support for the upcoming conclusive competition. Yet, in the final leadership contest, Liz Truss emerged victorious with a resounding 57.4% of the valid votes cast, showcasing a distinct contrast between ‘special voting’ and ‘main contests.

This scenario provides a valuable lesson for those who entertain the notion of predictable outcomes based on questionable practices ahead of the New Patriotic Party’s Special Electoral College Elections on August 26, 2023.