Managing Editor of the Dispatch newspaper says first timer Addai Nimoh’s performance to secure a place in the top five of NPP’s Super Delegates’ Congress Sunday has surprised him.

He said considering his unpopular nature as compared to Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, who was a minister in John Kufuor’s government and a former MP of Offinso, he did creditably well.

He told Joy FM’s Election Headquarters Sunday that, Mr. Nimoh’s performance showed he was strong in the Ashanti region and maybe a few other areas, which enabled him, secure a place.

Addai Nimoh and Stephen Asamoah Boateng entered the race as underdogs with the hope to make it to the top five and eventually becoming the party’s 2016 presidential candidate.

However, Mr. Asamoah Boateng and Dr. Konadu Apraku’s hopes were dashed away by the stunning approval of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the just ended Super Delegates’ Conference. The congress was aimed at reducing the seven aspirants to five.

Mr. Epshon was surprised that Dr. Apraku could not even make it to the top five. Mr. Ephson suspected that his (Dr. Apraku) bitter criticism about Nana Addo’s performance during the 2012 elections might have caused his downfall.

Meanwhile, considering the overwhelming win over his other six rivals, pollster Ben Ephson predicted Nana Addo would win the October 18 presidential primaries.

He said it may not be so much – about 70 per cent and that there is no way anybody could touch him.

Furthermore, he noted that those who openly declared support for Nana Addo would not do him any good towards 2016 because “the man would win anyway.”

    Nana Addo floored the likes of former Trade Minister in John Kufuor’s administration, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Member of Parliament for Mampong, Francis Addai Nimoh and Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, a former MP for Offinso.

Nana Addo also thrashed a former Information Minister, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Joe Ghartey, MP for Essikado-Ketan and Asuogyaman MP, Osei Ameyaw.

Out of 740 ballots cast, Nana Akufo-Addo polled 598 votes, representing 80.78 per cent with his closest contender Alan Kyerematen obtaining a paltry tally of 59 votes representing 7.98 per cent.

Addai Nimoh and Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament Joe Ghartey both obtained 22 votes each which is 2.98 per cent of total votes cast, while Osei Ameyaw managed 17 votes (2.17%) to pick up the last ticket to the October 18 national delegates’ conference.

Sunday’s poll started at 8am and closed at 3pm. A total of 740 votes were cast by delegates out of 787 expected voters.

Eleven polling stations were designated for the process with an additional one at the party headquarters in Accra.

Former party Chairman, Peter MacManu said he was not surprised to see Nana Addo beat his competitors.

According to him, Nana Addo was the very populous candidate among them and he did all the grassroots campaign, which eventually earned him an emphatic endorsement.