NPP to decide date for primaries on January 31

The ruling New Patriotic Party will decide the exact date to hold its upcoming presidential and parliamentary primaries at a meeting slated for Tuesday, January 31, 2023.

According to the General Secretary of the party, Justin Frimpong Kodua, the highest decision-making arms of the party will hold the meeting at the end of the month to decide on the day to elect its flagbearer and parliamentary candidates ahead of the 2024 general elections.

“On January 31, 2023, the NPP Steering Committee and the National Executive Council (NEC) will meet and they would decide the dates for the two important party polls,” the general secretary is quoted as having said in an interview on Kumasi-based Hello FM.

Ahead of the decision by the party’s leadership, some members of the NPP have made various suggestions including calls for the presidential and parliamentary primaries to be held simultaneously to save cost.

According to the general secretary all suggestions made will be taken into consideration before the party arrives at a decision.

“But the party is yet to take a concrete decision on the day and dates for the two elections. We shall know the dates on January 31, 2023,” he said as quoted by Dailyguidenetwork.com

The general secretary who is currently visiting the party’s stronghold, the Ashanti Region, further assured that the decision will be in the ultimate interest of the party.

He also promised free and fair polls noting that it will go a long way to ensure unity and peace within the NPP ahead of the general election.

“As the General Secretary of this great party, I promise to ensure a free and fair internal poll to elect our next presidential candidate and parliamentary candidates.

“Take this from me, I will not take sides in these two crucial elections,” Justin Kodua assured and stressed that the party is poised and determined to retain power in 2024.

“Every party member, including sitting MPs, who wants to contest for parliamentary seats on NPP tickets in 2024 should know that they will go into elections,” he declared.

With some calls being made for the protection of sitting members of parliament against competition, Mr Kodua said the party will not condone the imposition of candidates on delegates.

He noted that the party will conduct elections even if it is agreed that a candidate should contest unopposed.

“The party leadership would make the parliamentary forms open and transparent for every qualified party member to contest for a parliamentary seat,” the NPP Scribe assured.

GA/WA