All the 10 Presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are to sign an undertaking not to contest as independent presidential candidates or on the ticket of any other political party if they fail to get the nod from the delegates in the primary.
They are also to sign an undertaking with the party to commit themselves to support whoever is eventually elected as the party’s presidential candidate after the election or selection process.
This was contained in rules and regulations issued by the National Council of NPP yesterday to guide aspirants during, before and after its upcoming presidential and parliamentary primaries in Accra.
Per this arrangement, the party reserves the right to restrain any candidate should he decide otherwise.
Aspirants
The 10 aspirants who have been approved by the National Council of the party for the special delegates conference (Special Electoral College) are Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Kwadwo Poku, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Boakye Kyerematen Agyarko, and Kwabena Agyei Agyepong.
The rest are Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Dr Owusu Akoto Afriyie, Joe Ghartey, and Francis Addai-Nimoh.
The Special Electoral College scheduled for August 26, 2023, which would be held at each of the 16 Regional capitals, is to shortlist five out of the 10 aspirants for the November 4, 2023 National Congress to elect a presidential candidate to contest on the ticket of the party for the 2024 general election.
A statement, signed and issued by the General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Frimpong Kodua, said the decision was taken at the council’s meeting held last Thursday.
In addition, the National Council of the party directed regional and constituency party executives who wished to contest in the party’s parliamentary primary in constituencies with sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) to resign from their respective positions not later than September 20, 2023.
It said Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in constituencies where the party has sitting MPs were also not eligible to contest in the parliamentary primary for those constituencies.
Unity
The National Council of the NPP is concerned about the utterances of some of the party’s presidential hopefuls and their supporters, which it said did not augur well for the unity and cohesion of the party.
“The council, by this statement, reinforces compliance with the Code of Conduct for Presidential and parliamentary Elections of the party.”
It cautioned against such development, stressing that “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,” it stated.
It urged all the presidential aspirants to engage in issues-based campaigns and desist from levelling unsubstantiated allegations, personal attacks and vilifications of their opponents
It also cautioned against any activity that would polarise the party along tribal, religious and other factional lines.”
“All aspiring Presidential candidates shall impress upon their supporters not to engage in any of the activities stated above,” he added.
Album/Register
According to the council, the photo album and register used to elect the constituency executives between April 22, 2022, and May 2, 2023, would be the same album that would be made available to the Electoral Commission for the conduct of the presidential primary.
“Also a delegate who wants to appoint a proxy has been given three weeks to apply to the National Secretariat before the conduct of the presidential primary,” it said.
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