A pro-Akufo-Addo group says the two-time presidential candidate of Ghana’s main opposition party towers above his archrival, Alan Kyeremanten.

In a statement signed by Fadi Samih Daboussi, Alert Ghana said: “If it is about political prowess, the whole nation, [the governing] NDC included, knows that Alan Kyeremanten is an unqualified student compared to the seasoned Akufo-Addo.”

Nana Akufo-Addo is seeking to lead the New Patriotic Party for the third consecutive time as presidential candidate. He lost twice to President John Mills (late) and President John Mahama, in 2008 and 2012, respectively. He has promised his party victory the third time round, if elected flagbearer once again.

However, the former foreign affairs Minister will need to convince his party Delegates to give him that third chance ahead of six other contenders: former trade ministers Alan Kyeremanten and Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku; former information minister Stephen Asamoah Boateng; former Attorney General Joe Ghartey; and Legislators Kofi Osei Ameyaw and Francis Addai-Nimoh.

The seven aspirants will go through two primaries: one, a mini congress made up of about 800 delegates who will whittle down the number of aspirants to five, as stipulated by the party’s amended Constitution, and the second, a grand congress made up of about 115,000 Delegates, which will choose one out of the final five, to lead the party into the next elections.

Supporter groups of the two forerunners have been hurling salvos at each other ahead of the primaries.

In reaction to one of such salvos flung by Katakyie Kwame Opoku Agyemang of the Alan camp to describe the Akufo-Addo camp as “too abusive”, Alert Ghana said: “If it is about insults and denigration, the boys of Alan, you Mr Katakyie Kwame Opoku Agyemang being the first accused, have defiled and insulted Nana more than you would even insult your rivals in the most vicious and vile propaganda ever, much more articulate than that of outsiders.”