Vice President Bawumia has said he will win the flag bearer race of the governing New Patriotic Party set for November 2023.

After scaling that first hurdle, Dr Bawumia expressed confidence that he would win the 2024 presidential election and then become the next president of Ghana after his boss Nana Akufo-Addo.

At a meeting with NPP supporters in Hohoe at the weekend, Dr Bawumia, who has, all along, been publicly silent on his ambition until his recent meeting with the majority caucus, at which he first made the announcement to run for office, said: "I want you to know that I appreciate your support". "We are going to break the 8", he said. 

"First of all, we are going to file for the flagbearership [race], which I'm going to do, win the flagbearership, break the 8, and go to Jubilee House". 

"That is what I’m going to do", Dr Bawumia said.

A few days ago, a group fully paid for and picked flag bearer nomination forms for Dr Bawumia and presented the documents to him as a surprise at the Jubilee House.

The Bawumia Fan Club's leader, Ntim Jakari, told journalists they did all that on the vice president’s blindside.

He said they believe Dr Bawumia must lead the NPP into the 2024 general elections to break the eight-year political cycle of change.

They displayed a GCB Bank cheque for GH¢50,000 with which they bought the forms for the vice president.

Mr Jakari told journalists: "The Bawumia Fun Club decided that we will pay and go and present it to their father and our president-to-be". 

"He is not aware we are doing this", he claimed, adding: "We are taking him by surprise". 

"After payment, we are going to the Jubilee House to present it to him", he said.

NPP flag bearer aspirants started picking forms from Friday, 26 May 2023, after the party opened nominations on that day up until Saturday, 24 June 2023.

The party made the announcement in a statement signed by General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong.

Each aspirant is to pay GH¢50,000 for the forms.

Apart from Dr Bawumia, the other aspirants include former trades minister Alan Kyerematen, Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong, Essikado-Ketan MP Joe Ghartey and the party’s former general secretary Kwabena Agyepong.

The rest are former energy minister Boakye Agyarko, former minister of agriculture Owusu Afriyie Akoto, former minister of regional cooperation and NEPAD Kofi Konadu Apraku and former Mampong MP Francis Addai-Nimoh.

Below is the party’s full statement on the nominations

For Immediate Release

May 25, 2023

NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY (NPP) OPENS NOMINATIONS FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION

The New Patriotic Party (NPP), at its National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Council meetings held on Monday, April 3, 2023, approved the timelines for holding the party’s presidential primaries as follows: 

Opening of Nominations – Friday, May 26, 2023

Closing of Nominations – Saturday, June 24, 2023

Special Electoral College Elections (if any) – Saturday, August 26, 2023

National Congress – Saturday, November 4, 2023.

Pursuant to the National Council timelines, the Party hereby announces, the opening of nomination for the presidential primary election.

Nomination forms shall be obtained from the Office of the General Secretary at the party headquarters, Asylum Down, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (Monday to Friday).

Consequently, an aspiring presidential candidate shall obtain the nomination forms after payment of a non-refundable nomination fee of Fifty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢50, 000.00) only, through a banker’s draft issued to the New Patriotic Party, national headquarters, Accra, as payee.

The Party is determined to hold a free, fair, transparent and a peaceful presidential primary election, and urges all stakeholders to help make this a reality.

Thank you.

JUSTIN KODUA FRIMPONG

GENERAL SECRETARY