Private legal practitioner and lecturer at the GIMPA law faculty, John Darko has filed his nomination forms to contest the Suame constituency parliamentary primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The Suame constituency is currently occupied by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.
The long-serving MP has however openly declared that he will not re-contest in 2024.
John Darko is said to be in pole position to win the primaries and to ultimately win the Suame seat in December 2024.
Mr. Darko is an indigene of Breman, a town within the Suame constituency where grew up.
He contested in the 2016 parliamentary primaries and placed third.
However, he was not allowed to contest the primaries in 2020 as the incumbent MP was allowed to go unopposed.
The NPP opened nominations for the constituencies where it has sitting members of Parliament (MPs) on Wednesday, 20th December, and it is expected to close on Monday, 25th December 2023.
John Darko picked up his forms on 21st December and, within 24 hours has completed and submitted them.
About the aspirant
He holds an LL.M in Energy, Environmental and Natural Resources from the University of Houston Law Centre, Texas, where was a recipient of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN) and Rocky Mountains Minerals Law Foundation Scholarships.
He obtained his qualifying certificate in law (QCL) from Ghana School of Law, Accra-Ghana between September 2007 and October 2009, and an LLB from the University of Ghana, between September 2005 to May 2007, and BA in Political Science from September 1999 to May 2003
John Darko, who is a partner at Darko, Keli-Delataa, and Co. has been a natural resources and environmental lawyer with 13 years’ experience cutting across commercial, advisory, academia, and consultancy settings, and delivering success on projects worth several millions of US dollars.
He also has a strong understanding of laws governing Ghana’s energy, land, and natural resources sector.
John Darko has also demonstrated exceptional leadership and integrity as a board member of six government and private organizations across the oil and gas, insurance, finance, and education industries, including Ghana Gas Company Limited.