FORMER MEMBER of Parliament (MP) for Mampong and presidential hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Hon. Francis Addai-Nimoh, has suggested a new face to lead the party as a condition to break the 8-year myth.
He said the facial fatigue of the leadership of the party must give way to a new face in order to break the eight and hold onto power beyond 2028.
According to him, the candidate must not be part of the current government either as a minister of vice president emphasising that in considering the choice of a candidate the party must look at the immediate future, medium and long term prospects of the party.
The ex-MP of Asante Mampong said under the New face agenda, yet to be launched, a flagbearer must have an unblemished character as well as be a unifier whose moral aptitude cannot be questioned.
He said the new face agenda had worked for then Candidate Atta Mills in the 2000 elections as against Nana Akufo-Addo who was a Foreign Minister in the Kufuor-led administration.
The presidential hopeful further explained that John Mahama as a sitting president could not win the 2016 elections from the same facial fatigue.
Hon. Addai-Nimoh said to secure the future of the party the age of the candidate should be considered to determine the most suitable person who must also be popular to lead the party beyond 2024 elections in case NPP is unable to break the 8.
He also flawed the imaginary queue in terms of leadership of the NPP and said there must not be any such queue.
According to Addai-Nimoh, the “Yenim wo fri tete” slogan worked for Nana Akufo-Addo in 2007 because the message resonated without challenge.
He, therefore, suggested a lineal formula based on prevailing conditions in party and in the country for which the 2023 NPP flagbearership race must be open for the most suitable person to lead and win in 2024, 2028 and 2032.
Hon. Addai-Nimoh, Member of Parliament for Mampong constituents from 2013 to 2020, contested the NPP flagbearership race in 2014 alongside Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Dr. Kofi Konadu Appraku, Mr. Joe Ghartey, Stephen Asamoah Boateng and Prof. Ekumfi Ameyaw and placed third in the election claims currently he is the best suitable candidate to lead the NPP.
BY Kow Richardson
Kumasi
