With about two and half years to go, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has kicked off its campaign to retain power in the 2004 elections by opening up nominations for the party’s Presidential candidate for the next race.
Interested and eligible members have been asked to complete their applications not later than 3 September, in time for the election of the flagbearer which will take place in early December. Ambitious members should, however, take note that eligibility depends on at least five-year membership of the party.
The call for the nomination process to begin is in consonance with Article 12 of the party’s constitution. This was explained in a statement issued by the party and signed by Kwadwo Antwi-Agyei, on behalf of the party’s General Secretary, Dan Botwe.
According to Article 12 (1), “The election of the party’s presidential candidate shall take place at a National Congress held not later than 24 months from the date of the national election.” Article 12 (2) further enjoins the General Secretary to give notice to party members, inviting application from them “Not later than six months prior to the holding of the National Congress.”
This notice “shall be displayed in a conspicuous place in the Party’s Constituency, Regional and National offices and shall specify the closing date for the application, which shall not be more than five months prior to the holding of the National Congress.”
In inviting nominations, the statement said aspiring presidential candidates must fulfill all the conditions spelt out under Articles 12 (4) of the party’s constitution. Article 12 (4) says no member shall be entitled to nomination as the party’s presidential candidate unless he or she “Is a known and active member for at least five years; is of good character; is otherwise of good standing; has paid the prescribed fee for presidential aspirants by the deadline set by the National Executive Committee; is found to be qualified to be a presidential candidate by the Vetting Committee; has signed the ‘Undertaking for Presidential Aspirants” and that the member’s nomination has been endorsed in writing “by at least 100 members in good standing, ten from each Region.
Meanwhile, party gurus are finalising elaborate programmes to mark the party’s 10-year anniversary. This was among the topics discussed at Thursday’s National Executive Council meeting held at the party’s headquarters in Accra. The anniversary is scheduled for July.
