326 parliamentary candidates are participating in the primaries of the ruling party on Saturday, January 27th. This crucial electoral process will partly shape the strategy of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the upcoming presidential and legislative elections scheduled for December 7th, 2024. The central question revolves around whether to rely on existing parliamentarians or trust new faces.
The decision to refresh the roster of the presidential party presents an opportunity to enhance competitiveness against the opposition, currently leading in polls. The rationale is straightforward: distancing itself from the unfulfilled promises of infrastructure development, such as hospitals and airports, made by NPP candidates during their eight-year tenure in power.
Professor Kobby Mensah, an expert in Ghanaian politics, offers this analysis. In communication with RFI, he highlights the failure to deliver on commitments, which weighs heavily on the assessment of voters in affected constituencies.
However, opting for novelty over experience carries a potential downside, as noted by Professor Kobby Mensah. This consideration is particularly relevant in constituencies where heavyweight figures of the ruling party already hold positions, including the Minister of Commerce and Industry, the Minister of Public Works and Housing, and the Minister of Water and Sanitation, to name a few.
The turnover within the NPP is expected to be substantial on January 27. Out of the 137 constituencies in question, only 33 automatically retain their candidates due to a lack of opposition. Proportionally, this represents half the number compared to the previous primaries in 2020.
Regarding the presidential race, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia was designated as the NPP candidate in November last year. As the party navigates the delicate balance between experience and innovation, the outcome of these primaries will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the political landscape leading up to the December elections.