Resign if you want to contest parliamentary primaries – NPP executives told

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has issued a directive to its regional and constituency executives who intend to contest in the parliamentary primaries against sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) to resign.

According to a statement by the party, the executives are required to resign from their positions by September 20, 2023, to be eligible to contest.

The directive also extends to Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in constituencies where the party has sitting MPs. Those MMDCEs, according to the NPP, are not eligible to participate in the parliamentary primaries for those constituencies.

The directive, the NPP explained was borne out of a National Council meeting held on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

“Regional and Constituency Party executives who wish to contest in the primaries in Constituencies with sitting Members of Parliament shall resign from their respective positions not later than September 20, 2023. All such executives shall tender their resignation letters to their respective Regional Party Secretariats not later than September 20, 2023.

“Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in Constituencies where the Party has sitting Members of Parliament are not eligible to contest in the parliamentary primaries for those Constituencies,” the NPP’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, said in a statement issued on July 24.

However, the party warned to deal with presidential aspirants who engage in unhealthy campaigns that will dent the image of the party.

“Any Aspiring Presidential Candidate, or his supporters, and party executives at all levels who act in contravention of the Code of Conduct, moving forward, shall be dealt with in accordance with the guidelines thereof and the Party Constitution. For the avoidance of doubt, the relevant portions of the guidelines dealing with the expected standards of conduct include the following: All Aspiring Presidential Candidates shall campaign on issues and refrain from leveling unsubstantiated allegations, personal attacks, and vilifications against their opponents”.

Read below the full statement issued by NPP

Our Ref. NPP/HQ/2023/07/24/NC/PR

For Immediate Release

July 24, 2023

DECISIONS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY ON PARLIAMENTARY AND PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES

The National Council of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), at its meeting held on Thursday, July 20, 2023, considered the guidelines for the conduct of the Party’s presidential, and parliamentary primaries in constituencies where the Party has sitting Members of Parliament.

After extensive deliberations, the Council arrived at the following decisions and resolutions:

1) Regional and Constituency Party executives who wish to contest in the primaries in Constituencies with sitting Members of Parliament shall resign from their respective positions not later than September 20, 2023. All such executives shall tender in their resignation letters to their respective Regional Party Secretariats not later than September 20, 2023.

2) Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in Constituencies where the Party has sitting Members of Parliament are not eligible to contest in the parliamentary primaries for those Constituencies.

3) The Recommendations of the Vetting Committee clearing all the ten Aspiring Presidential Candidates to contest in the primaries were approved by the National Council. The approved candidates are:

1. a) Hon. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen

1. b) Mr. Kwadwo Poku

1. c) His Excellency Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia

1. d) Hon. Boakye Kyerematen Agyarko

1. e) Mr. Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong

1. f) Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong

1. g) Hon. Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku

1. h) Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto

1. i) Hon. Joe Ghartey (Esq)

1. j) Hon. Ing. Francis Addai-Nimoh

4) The Special Electoral College scheduled for August 26, 2023, shall be held at each of the 16 Regional Capitals.

5) Each delegate shall be entitled to one vote, and shall cast his/her vote by secret ballot for only one Candidate.

6) All Aspiring Presidential Candidates shall be given the validated Album for the Special Electoral College at least one month to the date of the Congress (i.e. not later than July 26, 2023).

7) The Electoral Commission of Ghana shall conduct the Special Electoral College elections.

8) An Elections Committee has been constituted to supervise the conduct of the Special Electoral College and the National Congress respectively. The Committee is composed as follows:

NAMES OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS

1. Rt. Rev. Rt. Hon. Prof. Mike Aaron Ocquaye -Chairman
2. Mr. Abankwa Yeboah -Vice Chairman

1. Hon. Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin -Member

1. Prof. Emmanuel Flolu -Member

1. Mad. Rita Talata Asobayire -Member

1. Mr. William Yamoah -Member/ Secretary

1. Evans Nimako -Member

1. Philip Kwasi Nkrumah (Esq) -Member
2. Mad. Afua Gyekyewaa -Member

9) The National Council took a serious view of some unhealthy comments and utterances from some aspiring Presidential Candidates and their supporters, which do not auger well for the unity and cohesion of the Party.

Accordingly, the Council, by this statement, reinforces compliance with the Code of Conduct for Presidential and Parliamentary Elections of the Party.

Any Aspiring Presidential Candidate, or his supporters, and party executives at all levels who act in contravention of the Code of Conduct, moving forward, shall be dealt with in accordance with the guidelines thereof and the Party Constitution.

10) For the avoidance of doubt, the relevant portions of the guidelines dealing with the expected standards of conduct include the following:

1. a) All Aspiring Presidential Candidates shall campaign on issues and refrain from levelling unsubstantiated allegations, personal attacks and vilifications against their opponents.

1. b) No Aspiring Presidential Candidate shall undertake any activity that will polarize the Party along tribal, religious, and other factional lines.

1. c) All Aspiring Presidential Candidates shall impress upon their supporters not to engage in any of the activities stated above.

11) An Aspiring Presidential Candidate shall sign an undertaking with the party, committing himself to supporting whoever is eventually elected/selected as the party’s Presidential Candidate after the election/selection process in the event that he is not elected/selected.

He shall also undertake not to contest as an Independent Presidential Candidate or as a Candidate on the ticket of any other political party, and that, the NPP reserves the right to restrain him should he decide otherwise.

12) The photo Album/Register that was used to elect the Constituency Executives between April 22, 2022, and May 2, 2023, shall be the same album that will be made available to the Electoral Commission of Ghana for the conduct of the presidential primaries.

13) Any delegate who appoints a proxy shall apply to the National Secretariat three weeks before the conduct of the presidential primaries. However, persons appointed as proxies must be delegates to the conference.

The Party wishes to reiterate that any Aspiring Presidential Candidate who flouts any of the above guidelines and modalities, or conducts himself in a manner that brings the Party’s name into disrepute shall be deemed to be in breach of the Party Constitution and will, accordingly, be sanctioned including being disqualified from contesting in the Primaries.

Finally, while the Party wishes all its Aspiring Presidential Candidates the best of luck in the primaries, it anticipates that these rules and regulations shall be strictly complied with by all stakeholders, particularly the candidates and their supporters in the supreme interest of the party.

Thanks.

JUSTIN KODUA FRMIPONG

GENERAL SECRETARY

Cc:

National Chairman

DISTRIBUTION LIST

1. Hon. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen
2. Mr. Kwadwo Poku
3. His Excellency Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
4. Hon. Boakye Kyerematen Agyarko
5. Mr. Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong
6. Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong
7. Hon. Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku
8. Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto
9. Hon. Joe Ghartey (Esq)
10. Hon. Ing. Francis Addai-Nimoh
11. Elections Committee
12. All Media Houses