Benjamin A. Commey
Accra, Nov 01, GNA – Dr Prince Sodoke Amuzu, Spokesperson for Dr Afriyie Akoto, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer Hopeful, says the change in campaign strategy after the Super Delegates Conference will secure him victory in the Party’s presidential primaries.
Also, he said, the former Agric Minister’s message of using agriculture to transform the economy, by far, remained the “best message” and resonated with the delegates, putting him a notch ahead of his contenders.
Dr Akoto polled 40 votes out of the over 960 delegates who voted in the NPP’s Super Delegates Conference held on August 26, this year.
That was, however, enough to secure the former Minister of Food and Agriculture a spot in the Party’s presidential primaries.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), on his chances, ahead of the primaries on Saturday, November 4, the Spokesperson for Dr Akoto, said they were compelled to change tactics after the Super Delegates Conference.
The strategy, he said, involved engaging as many delegates, who were beneficiaries of major agricultural policies such as the Planting for Food and Jobs under his tenure, on the quiet.
“The campaign for super delegates was for the Chairmen so, we did multiple engagement with the chairmen; group meeting, individual meeting and all of that, and realised that something else became very influential, but in this particular one, we recognised that these are actually the beneficiaries of the good policies of the former Agric Minister, and therefore, the strategy cannot be the same because you have to remind them of what you have done for them before and what you will be able to do for their benefit.
“And, therefore, it calls for a noiseless and a very tactful conversation with as many of them as possible in the quiet,” Dr Amuzu indicated.
The governing NPP will on Saturday, November 4, 2023, hold its presidential election to select a flag bearer for the 2024 general elections.
The elections will be held in all 275 constituencies across the country with more than 200,000 delegates expected to vote for one of four candidates.
The aspirants are Vice President Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, Mr Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Dr Owusu Afryie Akoto, immediate past Minister for Food and Agriculture and Mr Francis Addai-Nimoh, a former MP for Mampong.
Dr Amuzu said Dr Akoto was not perturbed by the many polls that had put the Vice
President Dr Bawumia ahead and that he was focused on his campaign.
“Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto campaign is not tribalistic, we don’t believe in religious bigotry. We don’t believe that, oh, I’m not a Christian so vote for me, oh, I’m not Akan so vote for me. That type of thing, we don’t believe,” he stressed.
“We have a message of using agriculture to revive our economy and that will take us from the IMF, we have a message of building up companies for the Party so that the Party would be involved in rich businesses and make the money to support Party activities and create jobs for the Party people.
“That is solid message. We don’t have time to leave the message and go talking about
things that have nothing to do with the politics or governance of our country, things that divide us like tribes and religion. We can’t do that,” the Spokesperson added.
He described Dr Akoto as a decent and mature politician, who commanded a lot of respect from the rank and file of the Party.
About 200,000 delegates of the NPP are expected to vote in the Party’s presidential primary scheduled for Saturday, November 4, 2023, to elect a flag bearer for the Party in the 2024 general election.
The flagbearer hopefuls are; Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, Francis
Addai-Nimoh, a former Member of Parliament MP for Mampong, and Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, a former Minister of Food and Agriculture.
The delegates comprise of all members of the National Council, National, Regional and Constituency Executive Committees, Electoral Area Coordinators, five polling station executives in each polling station (Chairman, Secretary, Organiser, Youth and Women Organisers).
GNA