With 86 days to Election 2020, the field of those aspiring for the highest office of the land is increasing with the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) set to acclaim its flag bearer.

The running mate of the party in the 2016 general election, Ms Brigitte Dzogbenuku, will be acclaimed and endorsed as the flag bearer at a ceremony to be held at the Accra International Conference Centre.

Ms Dzogbenuku will become the second female flag bearer after a former First Lady, Mrs Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, was endorsed and acclaimed by the National Democratic Party (NDP) as its flag bearer for the 2020 polls.

Sole contestant

The party’s founder, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, who had previously led the party to the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections, decided not to contest the flagbearer position again due to ill health.

Five stalwarts of the party filed to lead the party into Election 2020, but only two — Ms Dzogbenuku and Mr William Dowokpor, the 2016 parliamentary candidate of the party for Ayawaso West Wuogon, were in Ghana to go through the process.

In the end, Mr Dowokpor decided to withdraw his candidature, leaving Ms Dzogbenuku as the sole candidate.

Time constraint

The National Secretary of the party, Paa Kow Ackon, told the Daily Graphic that Mr Dowokpor withdrew his candidature in the interest of the party due to the limited time the party had to prepare for the 2020 polls.

He said the election for the flag bearer was supposed to have been organised in March, this year, but had to be postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Mr Dowokpor wrote to the National Committee and indicated that looking at the limited time, he would like to withdraw from the race and throw his weight behind Ms Dzogbenuku,” he said.

He said the National Executive Committee accepted the decision after Mr Dowokpor had explained to the committee that his decision to withdraw was not born out of any malice, but was in the supreme interest of the party.

Credentials

Mr Ackon said Ms Dzogbenuku had proven to be someone who was capable and had the leadership qualities to lead the country.

He said corruption had been a bane to the country’s development, a situation that led to underdevelopment, lack of sustainable development, among other ills, and the PPP’s candidate offered the assurance the country needed to progress.

“In Ms Dzogbenuku, Ghanaians can be assured of someone who is incorruptible, visionary and has all the qualities the country needs to be transformed into a prosperous country,” he said.

PPP ready to lead

Mr Ackon said as the third biggest party in the country in terms of electoral performance in previous elections, the PPP was ready to campaign vigorously and win Election 2020 in order to transform the country.

“Many people are tired of the duopoly system of the NDC and NPP. These two parties have failed to meet the expectations of Ghanaians. People are looking for something new and that newness and transformation are what Ms Dzogbenuku and the PPP will bring to Ghana,” he added.