Statement: NPP sets Guidelines for Parliamentary & Presidential Elections

PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE NPP TO OUTLINE THE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE CONDUCT OF THE PARTY’S PARLIAMENTARY PRIMARIES IN CONSTITUENCIES WHERE THE PARTY HAS SITTING MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AS WELL AS RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES

The NPP wishes to bring to the attention of all stakeholders and the general public that the party’s national steering committee, at its meeting on Monday, January 13, 2020, considered and approved the following Rules and Regulations for the conduct of the party’s parliamentary primaries in constituencies where the party has sitting Members of Parliament as well as Rules and Regulations for the party’s Presidential Primaries ahead of the 2020 general elections.

RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR PARLIAMENTARY PRIMARIES:

DELEGATES TO THE CONFERENCE

1) Pursuant to Article 7 (27), (28), (31) and (32) of the Party’s Constitution, each Constituency shall convene an Extraordinary Constituency Delegates’ Conference to be attended by the following delegates:

a. All Members of the Constituency Executive Committee;
b. All Electoral Area Coordinators;
c. All Polling Station Executives at all Polling Stations in the Constituency;
d. Five (5) members of the Constituency Council of Elders;
e. Five (5) Constituency Patrons; and,
f. Any Founding Member from the Constituency, who is a signatory to the registration documents of the Party at the Electoral Commission.

2) The presence of at least one-third (1/3) of the delegates of the Constituency shall be necessary to constitute a quorum of the Conference.

RELEVANT DATES AND FILING DETAILS

3) The NPP shall hold parliamentary primaries on SATURDAY APRIL 25, 2020 in all the 169 constituencies where the party has sitting Members of Parliament with the exception of the Ayawaso West Wougon constituency. This is because, the party, at a joint National Council and National Executive Committee meeting held on October 21, 2019, unanimously resolved that the current MP for the constituency, Hon Lydia Seyram Alhassan, who was recently elected as the party’s Parliamentary Candidate for the constituency by-election be made to stand as the party’s candidate for election 2020.

On the basis of this, the council passed a resolution that whoever is elected/selected as the party’s candidate in a by-election less than two years to a general election shall be maintained as the party’s Parliamentary Candidate for the constituency in the ensuing general election except where the candidate decides otherwise.

4) Nominations shall open on Monday, January 20, 2020, and close on Thursday, February 20, 2020

5) An Aspiring Parliamentary Candidate (APC) shall procure Nomination Forms after the payment of the non-refundable application fee of GHC2,000 in Bankers Draft in favor of the NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS, ACCRA.

6) To successfully file his/her nomination, an APC shall pay a nonrefundable filing fee of Twenty Thousand Ghana cedis (GHC20,000.00) in Bankers Draft in favor of the NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS, ACCRA.

7) All Aspiring Parliamentary Candidates other than the sitting Members of Parliament shall pay a Party Development Fee of Thirty Thousand Ghana cedis (GHC30,000).

8) However, Women, Youth and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) will enjoy a rebate of 50% on the filing fees and Development Levy. By this, they will be required to pay a nonrefundable fee of Twenty-seven Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHC 27,000)

9) All payments shall be made by Banker’s Draft to the account of the New Patriotic Party Headquarters

10) No APC shall be denied access to purchase Nomination Forms

11) In the event that a prospective aspiring candidate is denied access to purchase Nomination Forms at the Constituency Level, he/she may do so either at the Regional Secretariat or at National Secretariat through an appeal.

CONSTITUENCY PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS COMMITTEE (CPEC)

12) A Constituency Parliamentary Elections Committee (CPEC) shall be established comprising:
a. Chairperson of the Constituency Council of Elders as Chair;
b. Constituency Chairperson;
c. Constituency Secretary who shall be Secretary to the Committee;
d. An Elderly Woman in the Constituency; and,
e. Constituency Research and Elections officer.

13) Members of the Constituency Parliamentary Elections Committee shall not be eligible to contest in the parliamentary primaries.

14) The Constituency Parliamentary Elections Committee (CPEC) shall sell the Nominations Forms only to Aspiring Parliamentary Candidates

15) Persons holding the following positions are estopped from contesting to become Parliamentary Candidates: National Chairman, General Secretary, National Treasurer, Regional Chairman, Regional Secretary, Regional Treasurer, Constituency Chairman, Constituency Secretary, Constituency Treasurer, and MMDCEs.

16) Subject to Rule 15 above, persons holding positions as national, regional or constituency executives who wish to contest in the primaries shall recuse themselves from their current positions throughout the selection/election process until the parliamentary primaries are over. Accordingly, such persons shall not attend the vetting session as observers. However, they retain their delegate status.

17) Should an APC suffer any obstruction in the final filing process at the Constituency Level, he/she may file at the Regional Secretariat or National Secretariat at the office of the General Secretary.

18) The CPEC shall, at the close of nomination, submit all Nomination Forms to the Constituency Secretariat for endorsement by the CEC members and thereafter, the Constituency Secretariat shall submit the certified Forms to the Regional Secretariat for further endorsement and certification by members of REC.

19) The Constituency Secretary shall publish, at the close of nomination, list of all applicants who have successfully filed their nominations to contest in the primaries.

20) The Regional Secretariat shall be required to submit all Nomination Forms to the National Secretariat for final endorsement and certification by the General Secretary not later than Wednesday, February 26, 2020.

21) A National Parliamentary Vetting Committee (NPVC) shall be constituted for the purpose of vetting Aspiring Parliamentary Candidates (APCs) who intend to compete for selection/election as the party’s parliamentary candidate in a particular constituency.

a. Three (3) representatives appointed by the National Executive Committee (NEC), one of whom shall be the Chairperson;

b. Regional Chairperson,

c. Regional Secretary, who shall be the Secretary to the NPVC,

d. The Regional Research and Elections officer,

e. All Five (5) members of the Constituency Parliamentary Elections Committee (CPEC)
f. The Constituency Executive Committee and Regional Executive Committee members are observers during the vetting session.

NATIONAL PARLIAMENTARY VETTING COMMITTEE (NPVC)

22) It shall be the duty of the NPVC to determine the venue for the Constituency primaries; ensure level playing field for all APCs in the constituency; organize security and program of activities for the polling day.

23) For purposes of these primaries and in particular reference to the vetting exercise, the 15 regions of the country where the primaries would hold, have been grouped into zones as follows:

ZONE 1: Ashanti Region
ZONE 2: Ahafo, Bono, & Bono East Regions
ZONE 3: Eastern, Greater Accra, & Oti Regions
ZONE 4: Central, Western, & Western North Regions
ZONE 5: Northern, North East, Savanna, Upper East, & Upper West Regions

24) The National Executives Committee, through the National Steering Committee, has appointed the following persons as NEC representatives for the various zones:

ZONE 1: ASHANTI (44 CONSTITUENCIES)
 John Boadu Chairperson
 Abdul Aziz Futah Member
 Gary Nimako Member

ZONE 2: AHAFO, BONO, & BONO EAST (20 CONSTITUENCIES)
 Rita Talata Asobayire  Chairperson
 Nii Laryea Squire Member
 Henry Nana Boakye Member

ZONE 3: EASTERN, GREATER ACCRA, & OTI (48 CONSTITUENCIES)
 Nana Obiri Boahen   Chairman
 R.O Solomon Member
 Kate Gyamfua Member

ZONE 4: CENTRAL, WESTERN, & WESTERN NORTH (35 CONSTITUENCIES)
 F.F Anto  Chairman
 Ofori Asiamah Member
 Frank Davies Member

ZONE 5: NORTHERN, NORTH-EAST, SAVANNA, UPPER EAST, & UPPER WEST (21 CONSTITUENCIES)
 Omari Wadie  Chairman
 Sammi Awuku Member
 Joseph Kwayaja Member

25) Vetting of aspiring parliamentary candidates shall be held from February 28, 2020, to March 8, 2020, and the list of all Recommended Candidates shall be published at the Regional and Constituency secretariats of the party not later than Wednesday, March 11, 2020.

26) The Vetting Report shall be submitted to NEC through the General Secretary not later than March 14, 2020.

NATIONAL PARLIAMENTARY APPEALS COMMITTEE (NPAC)
27) The National Executive Committee (NEC) has duly constituted a nine (9) member National Parliamentary Appeals Committee (NPAC) which shall receive petitions from all disqualified aspiring candidates from March 13 – 14, 2020.

28) The National Parliamentary Appeals Committee comprises the following members:

i. Hon. Peter Mac Manu  – Chairperson.
ii. Evans Nimako  – Secretary.
iii. Madam Elizabeth Ohene  – Member.
iv. Hon. S.K. Boafo  – Member
v. Hon. Dr. Kwame Addo Kufour  – Member
vi. Hon. Cecelia Abena Dapaah  – Member.
vii. Lawyer Emmanuel Darko  – Member.
viii. Lawyer Gary Nimako  – Member
ix. Obaa Yaa Amponsah Frimpong – Member

29) The National Parliamentary Appeals Committee shall have the capacity to resolve petitions that may be submitted by disqualified aspirant(s).

30) The decision of the National Parliamentary Appeals Committee on the petition so submitted to it shall be communicated to the National Executive Committee through the General Secretary. The decision of the National Executive Committee on the matter shall be final.

31) Notice of polls shall be published not later than Tuesday, March 31, 2020.

32) For the avoidance of doubt, no APC shall proceed to Court in respect of any matter regarding this election unless and until he/she has fully exhausted the internal redress procedures and mechanisms for resolving disputes in accordance with Article 4(8)(4) of the party’s constitution.

33) An Aspiring Parliamentary Candidate (APC) shall be made to sign a contractual undertaking with the party, committing himself/herself to support whoever is eventually elected/selected as the party’s parliamentary candidate after the election/selection process in the event that he/she is not elected/selected. He/she shall also undertake not to contest as an Independent Parliamentary Candidate or as a Parliamentary Candidate on the ticket of any other political party, and that, the NPP reserves the right to restrain him/her should he/she decide otherwise.

34) The photo Album/Register which was used to elect the Constituency Executives in February 2018, shall be the same album that will be made available to the NPVC and the Electoral Commission of Ghana for the conduct of the parliamentary primaries.

35) Any delegate, who appoints a proxy, shall apply to the National Secretariat 3 weeks before the conduct of the parliamentary primaries. However, persons appointed as proxies must be delegates to the conference.

SCHEDULES

a) Monday, January 20, 2020 – Opening of Nominations (sale of Nomination Forms)
b) Thursday, February 20, 2020 – Close of nomination and submission of the Nomination Forms to the Constituency Secretariat
c) Friday, February 21, 2020 –  Constituency Secretariat completes endorsement
d) Monday, February 24, 2020 –  Regional Secretariat completes endorsement
e) Wednesday, February 26, 2020 –  Submission of Forms to the National Secretariat through the General Secretary.

f) Friday, Feb. 28 – Sunday, March 8, 2020 –  Vetting of prospective Parliamentary
Aspirants
g) Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2020 –  Publishing list of recommended Aspirants at the Constituency and Regional Secretariats

h) Thursday, March 12, 2020 –  NPVC submits Report to NEC through GS

i) Saturday, March 13-14, 2020  – Submission and close of Petition(s) to the GS

j) Monday, March 16– Friday, March 21, 2020 – National Parliamentary Appeals Committee’s Sittings

k) Monday, March 23, 202 –  NPAC submits its report to National Secretariat

l) Saturday, April 25, 2020 –  Constituency Annual Delegates Conference

RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES

Pursuant to Article 13(2)(6) of the NPP Constitution, as amended, the following are the Rules and Regulations that shall govern the conduct of the 2020 Presidential primaries of the party:

1) The Party’s Presidential Candidate shall be elected by the following delegates:
i. All Members of the National Council;
ii. All voting members of the National Executive Committee;
iii. All voting members of the Regional Executive Committees;
iv. All voting members of the Constituency Executive Committees;
v. Electoral Area Coordinators;
vi. The five (5) Polling Station Executives in each Polling Station;
vii. Fifteen (15) Members of the National Council of Elders to be elected from amongst themselves;
viii. Fifteen (15) Patrons to be elected from amongst themselves;
ix. All NPP Members of Parliament;
x. Past National Officers;
xi. Three (3) representatives of each of the special organs of the Party;
xii. Twelve (12) delegates from every external branch;
xiii. Founding Members who are signatories to the registration documents of the Party at the Electoral Commission;
xiv. One TESCON representative from each recognized tertiary institution;
xv. All-Party card bearing Ministers and Deputy Ministers; and,
xvi.  All MMDCEs.

2) The NPP shall hold Presidential Primaries on SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2020 to elect the party’s Presidential Candidate for the 2020 General Elections

3) Nominations shall open on Monday, January 20, 2020, and close on Thursday, February 20, 2020.

4) An Aspiring Presidential Candidate (APC) shall procure Nomination Forms after the payment of a non-refundable application fee of Twenty Thousand Ghana cedis only (GHC20,000) in Bankers Draft in favor of the NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS, ACCRA.

5) To successfully file his/her nomination filing nomination, an APC shall pay a nonrefundable filing fee of Two Hundred Thousand Ghana cedis (GHC200,000) in Bankers Draft in favor of the NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS, ACCRA.

6) All payments shall be made by Banker’s Draft to the account of the New Patriotic Party Headquarters.

7) The Presidential Nominations Forms shall be procured at the General Secretary’s office.

8) A Presidential Vetting Committee (PVC) shall be established to examine and vet the candidature of every aspirant for the presidential nomination of the party to ensure that such person qualifies to contest for the office of the President of the Republic;

9) The Presidential Vetting Committee shall consist of;

a. Mr. Peter Mac Manu – Chairperson.
b. Lawyer Frank Davies –  Member.
c. Mr Sekyere Abankwa – Member
d. Madam Rita Asobayire.
e. Hon. Yaw Baah
f. Madam Elizabeth Ohene
g. Hon Hackman Owusu Agyemang
h. Hon. Cecelia Abena Dapaah
i. Hon. Oboshie Sai Coffie

10)   The Vetting Committee shall disallow the candidature of any aspirant when it finds that such aspirant does not qualify to be a Presidential Candidate. It shall submit such findings in writing to the National Executive Committee, with a copy to the aspirant.

11) It shall be the obligation of the Member, seeking nomination as the Party’s Presidential Candidate, to satisfy the Presidential Vetting Committee that the conditions stipulated in Article 13 (7) have been fulfilled, and any application, which does not comply with these conditions shall be rejected.

12) An aspirant, who is dissatisfied with such findings, may appeal against it to the National Executive Committee within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt of notice of the findings, by filing an appeal in writing with the General Secretary.

13) Where there are more than five contestants for nomination as the Party’s Presidential Candidate, a Special Electoral College shall cast their votes by secret ballot for the first five contestants to be short-listed.

14) Where there is only one contestant for nomination as the Party’s Presidential Candidate, the National Congress shall acclaim his/her nomination as the Party’s Presidential Candidate

15) Where a contestant obtains more than fifty percent (50%) of the votes cast, he or she shall be the Party’s Presidential Candidate.

16) Where, however, no candidate obtains more than 50% of the vote cast, there shall be a run-off between the first two contestants and the contestant with a simple majority shall be the Party’s Presidential Candidate.

17) In the event of a tie between the two contestants, the run-off will continue until one contestant obtains a simple majority.
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, the party wishes to stress that any aspiring presidential or parliamentary candidate who flouts any of the above guidelines and modalities or conducts him/herself in a manner that brings the party’s name into disrepute shall be deemed to have breached Article 4(7) of the NPP constitution and will, accordingly, be sanctioned including being disqualified from contesting in the primaries.

Finally, while wishing all prospective aspiring candidates the best of luck in the parliamentary primaries, the party hopes and anticipates these prospective aspiring candidates, together with their supporters, would adhere strictly to these rules of engagements in their own interest and in the supreme interest of the party.

…Signed…

John Boadu
General Secretary