Confusion hits NPP over 7 aspirants

There seems to be an air of uncertainty in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over modalities to use in the selection of its flagbearer for the 2016 general elections as the contest heads for a special delegates’ congress.

By close of nominations Monday July 7, 2014, seven members of the party namely, two-time flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; twice-defeated flagbearer hopeful, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen; former Offinso North MP, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku; MP for Esikado-Ketan who doubles as 2nd Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joe Ghartey; former MP for Mfanstiman West, Stephen Asamoah-Boateng; the MP for Asuogyaman, Kofi Osei-Ameyaw as well as Mampong MP, Francis Addai-Nimo, had returned their nomination forms.

A meeting of the party’s Steering Committee, which was scheduled to take place last Wednesday to decide on modalities for the election, was called off at the eleventh hour with no known reasons.

It has been rescheduled for today, Friday.

Controversy

But even before the Steering Committee meets to take a concrete decision on the matter and make recommendations to the party’s National Executive Committee for consideration and finally to the National Council for approval, the issue has generated a whole controversy among the rank and file of the NPP. Various interpretations have been given to the party’s Constitution as to the mode of pruning down the number of presidential aspirants to five for the actual national delegates’ congress.

Article 12 (5) B of the party’s constitution states that “where there are more than five contestants for nomination as the party’s Presidential candidate, a Special Electoral College shall cast their votes by secret ballot for the first five contestants to be short-listed”.

It talks about the composition of the Electoral College which includes “the National Council, National Executive Council, Regional Executive Committees, National Council of Elders, Members of Parliament, three representatives of each of the special organs of the party, past National Officers, three representatives each from every external branch, Founding Members during the registration of the party at the Electoral Commission, all New Patriotic Party card-bearing Ministers when the party is in government.”

The constitution therefore states categorically that “every delegate shall be entitled to one vote.”

Propositions

While some have suggested that voting should be conducted in such a way that all seven aspirants would be lined up on one ballot paper for delegates to vote for five of them – as used in the election of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd National Vice Chairpersons of the party – for it to be tallied, others insist that each delegate should be made to vote once for his or her preferred candidate to fast-track the process of voting and counting.

It is not clear which of the two options the party would opt for in its quest to prune down the number of aspirants from seven to five – an issue that has already ignited debate internally.

The not-too-popular candidates, DAILY GUIDE learnt, are pushing for each delegate voting for five aspirants.

Vetting

Others have also wondered whether all the seven aspirants would be made to go through the special delegates’ conference right away or would be made to go through a vetting process to determine if each of them is qualified to lead the party before proceeding to the special delegates’ conference.

Having gone through either of the abovementioned processes, the selected five would be taken through the actual national delegates’ congress for one to be elected as flagbearer to lead the NPP in the 2016 general elections.

These are some of the issues that would engage the minds of members of the Steering Committee when they meet today.

They would then make proposals to the NEC for ratification by the National Council – the highest decision-making body after Congress.