The National Council of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) will be meeting today, Wednesday, June 3, to fix a date for the party’s parliamentary primaries in constituencies with sitting Members of Parliament (MPs).
The party had originally scheduled to elect its candidates in these constituencies on April 25, but that had to be cancelled because of the ban on public gatherings to contain and stop the spread of the novel coronavirus – Covid-19 pandemic.
The Council, according to a trusted source, would discuss the modalities for the conduct the elections.
The meeting comes on the heels of the phased easing of restrictions – to re-open the country by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The President in his 10th address to the nation on the country’s COVID-19 situation, said some social gatherings – church services, conferences and meetings of not more 100 people, could be held.
The source said the party would make sure that everything done was consistent with safety and preventive protocols.
The decision to suspend the party’s primaries was taken at a National Steering Committee meeting held on Tuesday, April 14.
A statement issued by Mr. John Boadu, by the NPP General Secretary, said, “The National Steering Committee, by reason of Article 10 (10) (1) of the party’s constitution, is the body responsible for overseeing the daily management of the party, and thus, mandated to ‘act on behalf of the party on urgent matters’ such as in the circumstances we find ourselves as a party and nation owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
“In the light of this development, the party is unable to hold the primaries as planned and has accordingly postponed the same till further notice. The party regrets all inconveniences that this may occasion, and hopes to hold this crucial exercise, sooner…”