The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) will on June 27, acclaim president Nana Akufo-Addo as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2020 general elections.

In a statement Thursday, the NPP’s General Secretary John Boadu said Akufo-Addo’s acclamation “together with his Running Mate [Vice President Bawumia] will be done at a special National Executive Council meeting.”

At the close of the party’s filing of nominations, nobody had filed to contest the president, the statement said.

This will be the fourth time Akufo-Addo will lead the NPP to a presidential election.

He was given the nod in 2008 when the then-president John Agyekum Kufuor was stepping down after serving his second and last term.

The former Attorney General and Foreign Minister would, however, lead the centre-right party to two defeats before bringing them back to power with an emphatic victory in 2016.

If he wins the December 2020 elections, it would be Akufo-Addo’s final time to contest as presdient as the constitution bars him from serving more than two terms.

Parliamentary primaries

The NPP is also holding Parliamentary primaries on June 21.

However, Mr Boadu’s statement also gave an update on some constituencies.

“With the Gushegu Constituency, the party, after extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders, has, in line with Article 12 of the NPP Constitution, selected Mr. Hassan Tampuli as its Parliamentary Candidate for the Constituency.

“This follows the decision of the two aspiring Candidates, MP Iddi Ziblim and [his challenger] Osman Mahama, to withdraw from the parliamentary contest,” the statement said.

It added: “In Dormaa Constituency, the incumbent Member of Parliament and Minister for Health,Kwaku Agyemang Manu, shall contest in the primaries as an unopposed candidate following the decision of his sole contender, Dr Yao Yeboah to withdraw from the contest after the implementation of a successful roadmap.

“Primaries in the Kwadaso constituency shall be held on Wednesday, June 24, 2020 following an amicable resolution of the issues regarding the Constituency Album.”

“The Party wishes to use this occasion to commend all the aspiring Candidates who graciously withdrew from the contest and respected the Party’s decision,” Mr. Boadu said.