NPP to meet Presidential aspirants over adherence to Code of Conduct

The National Steering Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is to meet with all presidential hopefuls to court their support for compliance with the party’s Code of Conduct governing the upcoming parliamentary and presidential primaries.

The NPP in a statement dated August 17, 2022, signed by the General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua said the meeting was necessary to forestall some breaches of the party’s code of conduct.

The statement cited the Member of Parliament for Tafo Pankrono, Ekow Vincent Assafuah; Hopeson Adorye, a member of the party; and organisers of a health walk in support of Mr Alan Kyerematen’s candidature for breach of the Party’s code of conduct.

Breaches

Specific breaches mentioned in the statement included;

"On or about August 3, 2022, Hon. Ekow Vincent Assafuah, Member of Parliament for Tafo Pankrono Constituency, during an interview on a Kumasi based station, OYEREPA FM/TV, passed some comments that sought to advance the ambitions of one of the Party's presidential hopefuls. Despite a prompt from the host of the show that his declaration of support for a presidential hopeful violated the Party's Code of Conduct for presidential and parliamentary primaries, Hon. Assafuah blatantly maintained his position.

"In a related development, a "Health Walk" held on Saturday, August 13, 2022, in Kumasi by some individuals claiming to be supporters of one of the Party's presidential hopefuls, violated the Party's Code of Conduct for presidential and parliamentary primaries. Further, comments made by some organisers of the Health Walk and other keynote speakers particularly, Mr. Hopeson Adorye, a member of the NPP, also breached the Party's Code of Conduct and sought to divide the Party front.

"It is worthy of note that the Walk was held few days after the General Secretary had issued a Press Statement to caution all party members and executives to refrain from acts that breach the Code of Conduct for presidential and parliamentary primaries. Prior to the "Aduru Wo So Health Walk" the General Secretary and National Organiser of the Party engaged the organisers of the Health Walk and urged them to abandon such plans as that would be in breach of the Party's Code of Conduct. The executives also granted interviews on various media houses cautioning against these imminent infractions of the Code of Conduct. Unfortunately, all these proactive interventions were not adhered to by the organizers.

"Subsequently, the attention of the National Steering Committee of the Party was drawn to these instances during the Committee's meeting on Monday, August 15, 2022. The Committee resolved that Hon. Ekow Vincent Assafuah and Mr. Hopeson Adorye be invited to appear before the National Complaints Committee as provided for in the Party's Code of Conduct".

The statement said Mr Adorye and Assafuah have been invited to appear before the National Complaints Committee while Mr Kyerematen “has been written to” in respect of the health walk organised in his name.

The party said its decision to meet all presidential hopefuls is to get all members to abide by the code of conduct to forestall disunity and tension that often arise in the lead up to the presidential and parliamentary primaries.

"Again, in a bid to forestall such occurrences going forward, the National Steering Committee also agreed that a meeting be arranged with all Presidential hopefuls of the Party to court their support and full cooperation in respect of their compliance with the Party's Code of Conduct. For emphasis, arrangements are being made to that effect," the statement said.

"We wish to further reiterate that the leadership of the Party is determined and committed to ensuring that activities of all Party executives or officers, individuals, groups, supporters and loyalists of presidential and parliamentary hopefuls, do not breach the Party's Code of Conduct for presidential and parliamentary primaries.

"The Party wishes to further state that the institution and enforcement of these measures are not intended to aid the electoral advantage of any prospective candidate but to prevent tensions that often arise in the lead up to presidential and parliamentary primaries and secure a united Party front for the 2024 general elections".