Boakye Agyarko steps down for Addai-Nimoh for NPP’s Nov. 4 Presidential Primary

Former Asante Mampong Member of Parliament (MP) Francis Addai-Nimoh could become the fifth person on the ballot for the New Patriotic Party’s Presidential Primary on November 4. A decision on this development will be taken by the National Executive Committee (NEC) on Monday following an earlier communication to the party by Boakye Kyeremanteng Agyarko to step down.

The two flagbearer aspirants polled nine votes apiece in Saturday’s Super Delegates Conference to place joint fifth. Chairman of the Presidential Elections Committee Rev Prof Aaron Mike Oquaye, who is also a former Speaker of Parliament, announced a run-off between the two as per the regulations of the elections after the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) declared the official results.

He set Saturday, September 2 for the run-off despite indicating that a decision by any of the two could change the dynamics. “So, a week today, if no one has stepped aside for the other, then we look forward to another election for a fifth person,” Rev Prof Oquaye told journalists at the NPP Headquarters in Accra. “At the end of the day, we are going to present five contestants for the grand finale.”

Speaking on radio on Monday, a member of the Boakye Agyarko Campaign Team, Darlington Bill Boampong-Bediako, announced that the former Energy Minister is stepping down.

He disclosed that most aspirants are not happy with the conduct of Saturday’s elections but are afraid to come out. He said Mr Agyarko is confident of winning should he contest the run-off but the decision is non-negotiable. Mr Boampong-Bediako added that the decision has already been communicated to supporters of Boakye Agyakro and they have “bought into it”.