Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante, a political scientist at the University of Ghana, has expressed skepticism about the likelihood of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) super delegates conference outcome being replicated during the November primaries.
Dr. Asah-Asante emphasized that the larger scale and different dynamics of the upcoming primaries, which will involve over 200,000 participants, could lead to different results compared to the super delegates conference.
While acknowledging the initial step taken by the super delegates conference, Dr. Asah-Asante cautioned against assuming that the current situation will persist until the November primaries.
He noted that the expansion of the electoral body to include a wider range of participants could change the dynamics significantly, making it unpredictable as to which candidate might emerge as the nominee.
Dr. Asah-Asante highlighted the multifaceted nature of factors that could influence the final outcome, such as the candidates’ ability to coordinate activities, convey messages effectively, and articulate their policies. He stressed that the conference rankings should not be taken as definitive indicators of the ultimate nominee’s success.
The NPP’s Special Electoral College Election, held on August 26, 2023, aimed to reduce the number of flagbearer aspirants from 10 to five for the upcoming National Delegates Congress on November 4.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia emerged as the winner with 629 votes, followed by Kennedy Agyapong, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, and Dr. Afriyie Akoto. The party will also hold a runoff between Mr. Francis Addai-Nimo and Mr. Boakye Agyarko to determine the fifth candidate, after the two tied in the polls.