According to the constitution of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), members of good standing are the only persons eligible to endorse forms of candidates of persons aspiring for various positions.
In the case of flagbearer aspirants, each region is required to provide 10 signatories of constituency party members for a candidate.
Barely a week after Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia received his nomination forms ahead of the flagbearer contest on November 4, 2023; the Ashanti Region took no time to get everything set.
This was done led by the indefatigable Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, representing the Bosomtwe Constituency, and supported by Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader in Parliament and Member of Parliament for Suame, Nana Nkansah-Boadu Ayeboafo and Ama Ampomah Addo-Kufuor, all members of the National Council, Dr. Isaac Yaw Opoku, Member of Parliament(MP) for Offinso South, Victoria Nyarko Kusi, the Second Vice Chairperson of the NPP in the Ashanti Region and Daniel Kwasi Adusei, a founding father of the party.
The rest are Kwame Antwi, the Constituency Chairman of Nsuta-Kwamang-Beposo, George Kofi Adjei, popularly known as Geokad, the Constituency Chairman for Nhyiaeso, and Charles Dickson Ampofo, the Chairman for Coordinators who are all special voters at the congress.
The endorsement by these great personalities is inspired by the Vice President’s overwhelming popularity and support among the grassroots members of the party in the Ashanti Region, which is arguably the party’s stronghold.
Dr. Bawumia has been at the forefront of spearheading and championing almost all the initiatives of the government. For this reason, his popularity among the party’s grassroots is not surprising.
About 10 persons include; Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; a former Trade and Industry Minister, John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen; new entrant and MP for Assin Central Kennedy Ohene Agyapong; a former Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto; a former Minister of Energy, Boakye Agyarko; a former Minster for Railway Development, Joe Ghartey; a former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyei Agyapong; a former MP for Mampong, Francis Addai Nimoh, A Senior Lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba(UEW), Eric Sakyi Nketiah and a former MP for Offinso North constituency and Minister for Regional Cooperation and NEPAD, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku have announced their intention to contest in the November 4 primaries.