A political scientist with the University of Ghana, Dr. Alidu Seidu is asking the New Patriotic Party to sanction executives who are lobbying for Nana Akufo-Addo and other candidates for the party's 2016 flagbearership slot. He told Joy News the party risk staying in opposition even after the 2016 elections if it failed to take immediate action. "I think the party should take action that will bring cool heads to prevail, and that include instituting sanction against executives who openly campaign for one particular candidate." NPP General Secretary Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, also known as Sir John, ignited the campaign to get Nana Akufo-Addo to run for a third time as the party's presidential candidate in the next general elections. On Monday, dozens of delegates from the Ashanti Region met with Nana Akufo-Addo at his residence in Accra to pressure him to lead the party into the 2016 elections. They have threatened to boycott the party’s delegates’ congress if he refuses to contest the party’s flagbearership. However, some members of the party including the Member of Parliament for Okaikoi Central Patrick Yaw Boamah have said such gestures could destroy the party. Meanwhile, Dr. Alidu Seidu warned that the posture and attitude of the executives "is going to break the rank and file of the party...that is not going to lead them to victory in 2016. It is going to be dangerous". He has therefore advised the NPP to "close its rank rather than dividing it". He remarked that as a party that prides itself to be democratic, it should not act in a way that "circumscribe competitiveness and fairness". "Now the NPP need to concentrate on looking at the factors that led to their defeat in 2012. I think the Supreme Court petition has taken that opportunity away from them, and I think this is the time that they need to restrategise, reorganise themselves and move forward in 2016 as a formidable force. "If they are not able to do this, then they are going to be in opposition for another four years."