To avert the calamity that had befallen the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), and by extension the nation following the July 24, 2012 untimely demise of then President John Evans Atta Mills, the opposition New Patriotic Party is said to have attached utmost seriousness to the health status of aspirants jostling for the flag bearer position of the party, less than six months to the party’s congress to elect a flag bearer for the 2016 elections.
As a way to ensure whoever emerges as the party’s 2016 flag bearer is as fit as a fiddle, the national executives of the party, according to a close source is contemplating asking all seven aspirants to make themselves available for medical screening before they would be allowed to contest the covetous position. In other words, the aspirants will be required to produce a clean bill of health to avert another disaster to the country in the event that the party wins the 2016 election.
Aside the intended vetting and ‘special congress’ to prune the number of candidates from seven to five to meet the NPP’s new rule which allows for only five aspirants to contest for the flag bearer post, the party’s executives are said to have also decided to go ‘tough’ on the health status of the party’s presidential aspirants given that some aspirant(s) have passed the retirement age of sixty.
A total of seven candidates have filed to contest the 2016 flag bearer post of the party. They are, twice defeated presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; twice defeated flag bearer aspirant, Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten; one time flag bearer aspirant, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku; second deputy Speaker of Parliament and MP for Essikado Ketan, Joe Ghartey; MP for Asuogyaman, Kofi Osei Ameyaw; former Minister of Information, Stephen Asamoah Boateng and MP for Bosomtwi, Ing Francis Addai Nimoh.
The NPP, after the 2008 elections when 17 party stalwarts fiercely contested for the flag bearer post in 2007 amended its constitution to limit the number of persons to vie for the highest post in the party to five.
The new rule states that when more than five candidates file to contest for the flag bearer post, a special electoral college will be constituted, by secret balloting, to prune down the number to five.
Those eligible to cast votes in the special congress include national and regional executive members, National Council members, Members of Parliament, few representatives of special organs of the party, past national executives, external branches and founding members.
Therefore, as the number of interested persons have swelled to seven, the party would have to organize a special congress to reduce the number to five before the December 6, 2014 congress to elect flag bearer for the crucial 2016 elections.
A source close to the national executives of the NPP disclosed to The Al-Hajj that, taking a cue from the sudden death of then sitting President, Prof John Atta Mills, the executives are poised to ensure that whosoever emerges flag bearer of the party is free from future health challenges.
It would be recalled that after the sudden death of Prof Mills in July 2012, members of the NPP and indeed, many influential Ghanaians chided officials of the NDC government for concealing and denying the health challenges of the late president.
To avert the repeat of the sorrow that befell the nation, many Ghanaians recommended that all potential presidential aspirants must be made to undergo rigorous medical checkup.
Subsequently, the 2012 presidential candidate of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), Dr. Paa Kwesi Ndoum, a strong advocate for the proposition, took the lead to the Korle Bu teaching hospital for medical examination of which result was made public.
Dr Ndoum’s voluntary gesture and remarks by civil society groups and even members of the opposition New Patriotic Party following Mills’ sudden death is said to have influence the decision by NPP national executive, the source revealed.
However, it is not clear how the contenders of the flag bearer position and their supporters would consider the party’s new moves.
Another source close to the party also disclosed to The Al-Hajj that the new move would be challenged because it would be dangerous to the future of the party if it is allowed to become a convention in the party.
“Tell me, which human being is free from health challenges and who can foresee the death of another human being? So they should be careful with this new move, otherwise the party and the country is likely to be denied competent people for that important leadership position.
“Sickness is part of everybody and those who are insisting on other people’s health status are themselves not immune from sicknesses. Let them come out for us to examine them.
“If their intention is to target a particular candidate, then we are waiting for them. Their candidate would also be examined and we shall see what would happen,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
