Elect your flagbearer in 2022 – UG lecturer advises NPP

NPP National Delegates conference slated for this weekend

NPP MP opposes increase in number of Nasara Coordinators

Dr. Asah-Asante opposes proposal to change NPP’s name

Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr Kwame Asah-Asante, has backed a proposal by some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to have their flagbearer elected in 2022- two years before the next elections in 2024.

According to Dr. Asah-Asante, the move if implemented would inure to the benefit of the party as it enables them to successfully execute a campaign to win the next election.

“Election campaign is a difficult one. Even more difficult is the strategy you map out in order to wrestle power or hold on to power and these are all pointers that you need to get them right in order to get the basics right. So the earlier election will help the party to be able to mend all the differences and be able to map out a strategy that can resonate with the people. The people will hold on to it, believe in it and pursue them aggressively in order to win power. So I believe that the two-year period is quite a good time for them to be able to [address] all manner of things that will help them to be able to prosecute a very effective campaign” he said on Joy News’ ‘The Pulse’.

However, some NPP members of parliament are mounting stiff opposition to the initiative.

According to Mpraeso MP, Davis Opoku Ansah, the move will mitigate against the party’s intention of retaining power in 2024.

“The Proposal to have an early congress in NPP will break the legs of our plan to break the eight. How do you intend to have two masters, two clear years before the election? Drop that proposal!” he wrote on his Facebook wall.

On the proposal to change the NPP’s name to “National Patriotic Party”, Dr. Asah Asante cautioned against it stating that it would have ‘little benefit’.

“I don’t support them at all. The name ‘New Patriotic Party’ resonates with the people and it has done so for a very long time. Unless of course there is evidence to suggest otherwise that we will realize that if we go on this tangent this is the benefit that we will accrue from this,” he further stated.

Meanwhile, the NPP is expected to hold its National Annual Delegates conference between December 18 to December 20, 2021, in the Ashanti region to consider a total of 38 proposals.