Aspiring parliamentary candidates for the impending New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary primaries have been cautioned to comply with all modalities guiding the conduct of the exercise.
The party warned candidates who flout the rules of engagement and bring the party’s name into disrepute will be sanctioned and disqualified.
“Aspiring candidates, together with their supporters, would adhere strictly to these guidelines in their own interest and in the supreme interest of the party,” NPP General Secretary John Boadu said.
He issued the warning on Monday when he outlined the guidelines for the conduct of the primaries scheduled for 20th June 2020.
Candidates, he said, should campaign on issues and refrain from leveling unsubstantiated allegations, personal attacks, and vilifications against opponents.
“No candidate shall undertake any activity that will polarize the Constituency along tribal, religious, and other factional lines. Candidates shall also require their supporters not to engage in any of these activities.”
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“Disputes arising out of the voting process shall be referred to the National Parliamentary Vetting Committee for an amicable resolution,” he stated.
The delegates
Outlining the delegates for the polls, Mr. John Boadu indicated these will comprise all Polling Station executives; all Constituency Executives; 5 members of the Constituency Council of Elders; 5 members of the Constituency Council of Patrons; as well as any founding member of the Party from the Constituency, who was a signatory to the registration document of the Party at the Electoral Commission.
“The five members of the Constituency Council of Elders; the five members of the Constituency Council of Patrons; all the members of the Constituency Executive Committee; as well as the Party’s Founding members who were signatories to the registration document of the Party at the Electoral Commission shall all be accredited to vote at the Constituency Secretariat.”
“The Polling Station Executives and the Electoral Area Coordinators shall be accredited to vote at the Electoral Area voting center,” he added.
Electoral Album
He explained that the Constituency Album has been broken down into Electoral Area Album to be used to identify all delegates eligible to vote in their respective Electoral Areas.
Delegates, he said, will be required to produce an NPP Membership ID Card or any other recognized national ID card to be entitled to vote while proxy voters will be accredited in the various constituencies.
Counting
According to him, counting of the ballot will be done immediately after the close of polls at each center, which would be done and declared by the EC presiding officer in the presence of candidates’ agents.
Voting offenses
He warned against engaging in voting offenses including taking photos of how a person voted, attempting to vote twice, or obstructing a delegate from exercising their voting right freely among others. These, he said, would be dealt with as required by law.
Constituencies
Mr. Boadu stated that the primaries will take place in all constituencies including outstanding orphan constituencies except where there are unopposed candidates and in specific constituencies where the exercise has been suspended.
He indicated that in respect of the Presidential election, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will be acclaimed the NPP presidential candidate at a scheduled date as he is the only person who filed to contest.
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Frontpageghana.com/Ghana/uthman A. Marani
