The four aspirants contesting the flagbearer election of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have signed an undertaking not to resign from the party if any of them loses the primary on Saturday.
The decision was reached at a meeting between the National Council of Elders and the aspirants.
Addressing the press after the meeting, the General Secretary of the party, Justin Frimpong Koduah, said that the aspirants have also agreed to accept the results of the primary and to put the interest of the party first.
“We were able to get all the four aspirants to sign an undertaking and in summary, they are to accept the primary results, and promote peace and cohesion,” Koduah said. “If they don’t win, they will not resign from the party and, support the winner of the primary.”
The aspirants have also agreed to “ensure and enforce mechanisms that have been established by the party and also work within the timelines and duration that have been established by the party from now till the results are declared and to respect the decision of the delegates of our party.”
The Chairman of the Council of Elders, at the commencement of the meeting, bemoaned the state of the party, indicating that it had been plunged into disunity by the selfish interests of some individuals.
He indicated that the race for the flagbearer position has, at times, generated passionate debates and disagreements within the party and among supporters of the presidential candidates but he called on all the presidential aspirants to eschew divisiveness and stay united after Saturday’s presidential primary.
Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is tipped to win Saturday’s presidential primary. His closest contender is Kennedy Agyapong, MP for Assin Central. Also in the race for the flagbearership slot are former Minister for Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and former Mampong MP Francis Addai-Nimoh.