Suspended NPP members can’t contest primaries — John Boadu

Suspended party members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will not be eligible to contest the party's forthcoming constituency primaries to elect constituency executives.

The constituency elections are due following the expiration of the mandate of the current constituency officers and pursuant to the party’s constitution.

The positions to be contested for are the Constituency Chairperson, Constituency 1st Vice Chairperson, Constituency 2nd Vice Chairperson, Constituency Secretary, Constituency Assistant Secretary, Constituency Treasurer, Constituency Organiser, Constituency Women Organiser, Constituency Youth Organiser and Constituency NASARA Coordinator.

Guidelines

Outlining the guidelines approved by the National Steering Committee of the party at a press conference in Accra on Monday, the acting General Secretary of the party, Mr John Boadu, who declared the nominations for the various constituency executive positions open, said the constituency primaries were scheduled from February 21 to February 24, 2018.

Flanked by the acting National Chairman, Mr Freddie Blay, and the National NASARA Coordinator, Alhaji Kamal Deen Abdulai, Mr Boadu said electoral area or polling station officers who wished to contest in the constituency elections should resign or vacate their respective positions before filing their nominations.

He added that applicants who wished to contest in the constituency executive elections should pay to the chairperson of the Constituency Elections Committee a non-refundable nomination fee of GH¢ 200 for the chairperson position and GH¢ 100 for other positions.

Prospective aspirants

Mr Boadu stated that according to the guidelines, only prospective aspirants were entitled to purchase application forms from the Constituency Elections Committee (CEC).

He explained that no prospective aspirant would be prevented from procuring an application form.

He said if for any reason an applicant was unable to procure an application form from the CEC, he/she would have to petition the regional chairman or general secretary for an endorsed application form at the Regional or National Secretariat respectively.

He indicated that vetting results would be released not later than three days to the date of election.

The Ag general secretary said an aspirant for any of the constituency executive positions should be nominated by one registered member and seconded by five registered members of the party who were known, active and resided in that constituency, all of whom shall be members in good standing.