NPP Lays down rules for Congress

At the heart of yesterday's joint meeting between all 19 presidential aspirants and the steering committee of the New Patriotic Party, was the sanctity and arrangements for the national congress which takes place on Saturday December 22.

At yesterday's meeting each aspirant was allowed to bring along an aide. The idea is to form a kind of inter-candidate advisory committee of aspirants or their representatives to meet with the party’s steering committee on a regular basis. This is designed to enhance transparency in the nomination process by involving all candidates in every stage of the way.

"We believe that by involving the candidates in every step of the way leading to the national congress is the best way of ensuring that the integrity of the congress readily commands the respect, acceptance and appreciation of all competing interests,” Peter Mac Manu told The Statesman yesterday before the meeting. At the time of going to press the meeting at Alisa Hotel, North Ridge, Accra was ongoing. But The Statesman can report that this could be the shortest congress ever in spite of the record number of aspirants expected to be on the ballot paper.

A major innovation is to provide ballot boxes for each of the 10 Regions to vote simultaneously. This is expected to cut down voting time for the 2,330 odd electoral college by about four hours.

By Monday, 17 of the nineteen aspirants had filed their nomination papers. Also, the party may seek to uphold the integrity of the congress day by disqualifying any candidate who is seen to be corrupting the process at the University of Ghana, Legon.

Also, the candidates are expected to be allocated not more than five minutes each to address the congress. Some aspirants, The Statesman has learnt, are even lobbying for the mandatory speeches by candidates to be scrapped entirely. While the party is expected to stand firm against this peculiar proposal, other extrinsic speeches, such as an address by the President of the Republic and goodwill messages from other political parties are likely to be scrapped.

"This is purely a one-item agenda conference," one party hierarchy member remarked. National Chairman Peter Mac Manu may be the only non-candidate speaker on the day. Also, security at the congress hall is expected to be very tight. Only congress officials, delegates, candidates and a very limited number of their aides will be allowed in the hall.

A media centre will be set up for journalists, outside of the delegates’ hall, leaving only cameramen of the recognised television stations access to the hall to beam proceedings to the nation and live to their colleagues in the media centre.

The Statesman has further learnt that a National Executive Committee meeting of the party will be held shortly after nominations close on November 22 to firm up the process for the congress. After this, the party will hold a massive rally, akin to the 1998 Nkawkaw rally, to outdoor the official candidates.

The party had earlier instructed all constituency offices to begin the process of selecting their 10 delegates from November 27, ending on December 8.