A flagbearer hopeful of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has insisted that the party needs a new face in order to retain power in the 2024 general elections. 

Mr Agyei Agyepong said the party cannot present a candidate who has been part of the current crisis the country faces and expect Ghanaians to vote for him. 

According to him, the NPP needs someone with fresh ideas and a clean pair of hands in order to achieve its aim of “breaking the eight.”

The former General Secretary of the party during the official launch of his campaign in Accra on Tuesday, July 11, maintained that he is the right person to help retain power for the party. 

“Our party cannot, therefore, put forward those who let us to this state and expect Ghanaians to embrace them during the 2024 elections.”

“We need a new face, a pair of clean hands, and a leader to reconnect with our base and earn the trust of the people. I humbly submit to offer the hope for a fresh start for Ghana.

He added that the party requires a candidate who has been involved with the party since its inception.

According to him, he availed himself for the party during the late former President Jerry John Rawlings’ era when it was risky to do so. 

“It’s a matter of public record that I always availed myself for this tradition. More importantly, in the run-up to the 1992 elections, under the Rawlings dictatorship, when it was life-risky to associate with the NPP.”

“I’m not a newcomer, I didn’t join NPP through the mainstream after the danger has abated. I have served this party right from the get-go in many capacities. I was there when it mattered most, and also when the party was at the peak of its story.”

About the elections 

The NPP will elect its flagbearer for the 2024 elections on November 4 this year. 

So far, 10 aspirants have been vetted by the party’s Vetting Committee chaired by former Speaker of Parliament, Prof Mike Oquaye. 

The Committee on Monday, July 10,  submitted its report to the National Council through the General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong.