“I swear to God. President Akufo-Addo, I will give you a showdown. Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, I will give you a showdown. You have chased my agent for him to seek refuge in a room. You will hear what will happen here. I swear to God I will challenge President Akufo-Addo any time.”

These were the strong words belted out by the Hon. Ken Agyepong (translated from the local twi language) on the grounds of the University of Cape Coast on the 26th of August,2023 as he expressed his dissatisfaction at the level of intimidation meted out to his party agents across the country. For him, these acts were completely unacceptable and appeared to be carried out in such in a way to harm his chances of emerging tops in the NPP Presidential Primaries.

HISTORY

Competitive Presidential Primaries are not new in any political party. Indeed, this would not be the first time the NPP has been involved in a process to elect a flagbearer ahead of the National election. As a young boy living in the Okaikoi South Constituency at the time, I recall the Primaries ahead of the 1992 elections which was contested from a tall list of party big wigs including Professor Albert Adu Boahen, Dr Kofi Dsane Selby, Dr Safo Adu, John Agyekum Kufuor, J.A Addison, Kwame Koduah and Lawyer Peter Ala Adjetey who later withdrew from the race. Prof. Adu Boahen emerged winner with 1121 votes. He would be the first to admit that that was a tough one.

I vividly recall the Primaries ahead of the 1996 General elections and how J.A Kufuor triumphed over another very strong field. Professor Adu Boahen, his brother in-law Joseph Henry Mensah, Dr Jones Ofori Atta, Dr Kofi Dsane Selby and Dr Safo Adu. And oh. I won’t forget the chants of J.H Mensah after his message to the delegates. “We want power. We want power”. It reverberated through the election venue like a powerful earthquake.

The 1998 delegates congress again saw J.A Kufuor edge out a field that included Nana Akufo-Addo, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, J.H Mensah, Kwame Kodua and Malik Alhasssan Yakubu (former MP for Yendi).

The Primaries ahead of the 2008 General Elections, was the mother of all elections. A massive 17 party stalwarts contested this election. Nana Akufo-Addo, Alan Kyerematen, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Mr Daniel Kweku Botwe, Papa Owusu Ankomah, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, Professor Mike Oquaye, Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Mr Boakye Kyeremanteng Agyarko, Mr Felix Kwesi Owusu-Adjapong, Mr Kwabena Agyepong, Dr Barfuor Adjei-Barwuah and Dr Kobina Arthur Kennedy. Nana Akufo-Addo emerged tops and did same ahead of the 2012 elections.

I have taken this nostalgic path to keep us all up to speed with the competitive nature of these elections and the Party stalwarts that were involved. It is fair to say that every elections have had its issues before, during and after these internal contests. One thing that stands tall though is the fact that the contestants find a way to come together and back the choice of the majority. Aside the 2007 primaries where Alan Kyeremanten was alleged to be backed by the siting President, a situation he has since rebutted, all the other elections to the best of my knowledge has been keenly and fairly contested.

The camp of Hon Agyepong disagrees. They are of the strongest opinion there is not a level playing field for all to contest. Comments from some of the candidates ahead of the first round (Super Delegates) and after suggested same. Indeed, one of the reasons why we now have a Butterfly Movement is a result of the alleged unfair playing field by the Party. The question that has been asked by Party faithful’s is whether Kennedy is not going a tard too far with his pronouncements.

CAMPAIGN PERIOD

Mr Agyepong has been on multiple campaign platforms with messages surrounding the current state of the party which in his opinion has been hijacked by a few greedy members and its failure to meet the aspirations of the people. Indeed, he has sought to distant himself from the performance of the party insisting that he is only a Member of Parliament and not a Cabinet Member. For him, the Executive holds sway over all aspects of the Governance space and he is not in a position to affect anything. He has called out Ministers for failing to perform and has consistently taken a swipe at the current Vice President, a Presidential aspirant himself, for failing to deliver on his Economic Promise and shying away from economic conversations. He has taken on party officials across the country for conspiring to sabotage his campaign and promised them multiple showdowns ahead of November 4th. He clearly has gone for broke and would match up to anyone who stands in his way. Ask Chairman Wontumi, Kutin, Ashanti Regional Minister Osei-Mensah and Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu. They have not been spared the vitriols of the showdown man. The Vice President has not been spared either. At the Showdown Walk in Kumasi, he strongly accused Dr Bawumia of destroying the party.

“Chairman Wontumi and Dr Bawumia are destroying the party. I am very much aware of all the meetings they are holding. Their actions are destroying the party. If they continue on this tangent, I will give them bombshells. There will be an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” Now those are very strong comments. Very strong comments.

Truth is Mr Agyepong has always been the tough-talking Politician many Party faithful adore. For them, he has stood up to be counted over the years especially when the Party served in opposition and has every right to seek the top position of the Party but there are also many who believe his comments appear to be giving ammunition to their rivals The National Democratic Congress. For them, calling out the ‘inefficiencies’ of the Party and going hard at Party officials and government at large is a recipe for disaster ahead of the General Elections. Mr Agyepong rebuts these comments and says Ghanaians are smart enough to make choices for themselves on the back of the Party’s performance in power.

ESTABLISHMENT CANDIDATE

Mr Agyepong is clearly irked by the Party allegedly whipping Government officials and some delegates in line for the purpose of securing votes for the sitting Vice President. He has made this point strongly on multiple platforms, a view that has been supported by some of the aspirants in the Super Delegates Elections. I am not too sure how over two hundred thousand people can be swayed on the 4th of November though as the battle for the flagbearer position intensifies. He is clearly going for a showdown, one he is confident about winning.

THE FUTURE

The Election clearly suggests a straight battle between Hon Agyepong and Vice President Bawumia. Mr Addai Nimo and Dr Anthony Akoto Osei are not expected to challenge for the honours of leading the Party. The worry many party faithful have expressed quietly is whether Ken Agyepong would be satisfied with the outcome of the election especially if he does not deem it fair enough. Would he also go solo and even team up with Alan Kyerematen as some have suggested?

Coming events they say cast their shadows. The NPP would surely not appreciate another breakaway faction following the Primaries on November 4th. We all wait with baited breadth for the mother of all showdowns.

The writer, Kwame Dwomoh-Agyemang is a Communications and International Relations Professional and an Adjunct lecturer at African University College of Communications, Knutsford and Pentecost Universities.