Former Finance Minister and a stalwart of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Kwesi Botchwey has joined the race for the role of party Chairman.
He is reported to have picked his nomination on the final day of sale over the weekend.
The NDC has set 29th August to 5th September 2018 for submission of nomination forms with the endorsement of at least 100 party members. A former ambassador is also required to recommend or second the nomination of any of the aspirants for all 14 national executive positions.
Professor Botchwey, who until recently has been on the back benches of active partisan politics.
Prof. Botchwey was head of a 13-member committee that reported reasons for the party’s defeat. The much-sought-after report has not been made public. The politician from the era of President Rawlings explained the loss was caused in part because the party’s “intellectual vanguard” was weak
Prof. Botchwey’s interest in the chairmanship position will see him face the party’s longest-serving General Secretary Alhaji Hudu Yahaya. Alhaji Hudu Yahaya vied for the position in 2014 but stepped down minutes to the start of the national delegates congress in December.
The first NDC National Chairman Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and second NDC National Vice-Chairman Betty Mould have also picked up nomination forms for the national chairmanship position.
The other aspirant is a former minister of state and former Keta MP, Mr. Daniel Akwasi Abodakpi who also contested in 2014.
The party is expected to choose a line-up of national executives whose immediate task will be to return the opposition party to power in 2020.