The New Patriotic Party says it is hoping to come out united after today’s election to select a candidate ahead of the by-election in the Kumawu Constituency.
The party says it expects the winner of the internal election to mend the existing cracks within party members in the constituency and work with all members to help the NPP retain the Kumawu Parliamentary seat.
About 420 delegates are expected to take part in the election which is being contested by five individuals.
Three aspirants including a former Member of Parliament for Kumawu withdrew from the race after they went through vetting.
Two of the aspirants, Philip Bannor and Edward Kofi Osei before declaring intentions to contest held dual citizenship and could not renounce it to enable them to go through the process.
Delegates and other party bigwigs are arriving at the Philip Basoah Community Center for the election to select a candidate for the upcoming by-election.
Ahead of the poll, NPP National Organizer Henry Nana Boakye told journalists the party is certain the NPP will be more united than before.
“We have met all the leaders from the various factions and I have had calls that the various factions were collaborating to ensure peace in the Kumawu constituency and we hope will come out united after this exercise.
He also stressed the party’s stance on holders of dual citizenship seeking to contest as Parliamentary Candidates
“We were of the view that the party in the diaspora contributes enormously to our development so, of what benefits will it be especially for the party if you have an aspirant who holds dual citizenship and contest and loses? So we were of the view that it will be double jeopardy losing both the citizenship and the primaries so we said the person can contest if he holds dual citizenship and takes considerable steps to renounce the citizenship after winning the primaries.”
