We shall rise again – Afoko

The largest opposition party in Ghana, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has revealed that it would ensure strict compliance with provisions of public elections laws in the country and that it would not allow anybody to display his or her vote as happened previously.

According to the General Secretary of the party, Mr Kwabena Agyapong, voters who display the candidate of their choice after marking the ballot paper will have their votes nullified.

This new operating instruction for the October 18, 2014 election will be a positive departure from what transpired at the 31st August Super Delegates Congress, where delegates and some top echelons of the party openly displayed their vote to the crowd.

Although their actions were condemned by the leadership of the party, no action were taken against the individuals, who with impunity violated the provisions of their party’s constitution.

Three candidates; former minister of Trade in the Kufour administration, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen , twice defeated presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo and new sensation Francis Addai-Nimo, Member of Parliament for Mampong are vying for the top job of leading the party in the 2016 general elections.

At a press conference to mark out modalities for Saturday’s event, the General Secretary of the party reiterated among other directives that the election process will be conducted solely by the Electoral Commission of Ghana, under the general provisions of the Public Elections Regulations, 2012 C.I 75.

However, a candidate may appoint two polling agents to attend at every polling station nationwide, but only one will be engaged at any given time, Mr. Kwabena Agyepong explained.

Again, the refusal of a candidate’s agent to sign the declaration of results sheet will not in any way invalidate the elections result.

According to the guidelines, voting shall start between the hours of seven (7) o’clock in the morning and end at three (3) o’clock in the afternoon in all the 275 constituencies, where the voting will take place on Saturday.

How a winner will be determined

In accordance with the provisions of the party’s constitution, the candidate who receives more than fifty percent of the valid votes cast shall be declared elected as the presidential candidate of the party by no other institution, aside the Electoral Commission.

In the unlikely event that Saturday’s voting fails to produce a clear winner, the Electoral Commission shall conduct a second election and the candidate who obtains the second highest number of votes shall subject to any withdrawal be the candidate in the subsequent election on a date that shall be determined by the National Executives of the party.

Afoko talks party unity

Chairman of the party Paul Afoko admonished delegates of the party to conduct themselves in such a manner that will not tarnish the image of the party before, during and after the voting exercise

He stated that the Ghanaian people are “boxed in a narrow space with no hope” and urgently need the NPP in power to save the situation.

“As we get set to choose the Presidential Candidate of the Party, it is significant to remind our teeming members and supporters that, this election is an exercise to prepare us for the real battle. The Ghanaian people are boxed in a narrow space with no hope.

“The future has become bleak. In fact the state of hopelessness in our communities is largely due to the poor management of our resources. The NPP is the source of hope for our country men and women and we must not disappoint them,” he noted

He admonished the rank and file of our Party to be at peace with each other and tolerate one on others views regard as a significant step in their preparations towards victory in the 2016 general elections.

He further urged the winner of the elections on Saturday to be magnanimous and reach out to the other competitors and their supporters to work together to wrestle power from the ruling National Democratic Congress

“Working together as a team we can rise again. We are all in this struggle together for the redemption of the people of Ghana. Let’s think victory. 2016 is a must”.

The irony

In spite of Mr. Afoko’s admonishment for tolerance of one another’s view in the party, he could not live up to his own precept when he, some few minutes to the call, walked to a reporter of the Daily Guide Newspaper, Charles Takyi Boadu, from the communications room at the party head office.

Mr. Afoko had accused the paper and the reporter of writing unfavourable stories about his person.

Stunned by the accusation, the reporter sought to find out the specific publication he authored that was denigrating to the person of Mr. Afoko.

Mr. Afoko, who was visibly unenthused with the reporter’s seemingly ‘bad attitude’ to his concerns, lost his cool and drove the reporter out of the room, with an order to the workers in the office, never to allow the reporter entry into that edifice.

Observers of the internal politics of the party will keenly watch how the NPP pulls out of Saturday’s voting with a united front, considering the internal wrangling that threatens the party’s unity, ahead of the 2016 elections.