NPP releases poll rules

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has outlined modalities for its upcoming constituency, branch and chapter elections with a caution to members to ensure the process runs smoothly devoid of acrimony.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday, 12 February 2018, Acting General Secretary of the party, John Boadu, called on all members both home and abroad to exercise restraint and decorum as the party readies for the elections.

The elections will be held from February 21 to 24, 2018. This follows the completion of the NPP's electoral area and polling station elections which ended recently.

Below is Mr Boadu’s full speech:

PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY JOHN BOADU, THE ACTING GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE NPP ON THE UPCOMING CONSTITUENCY AND EXTERNAL BRANCH PRIMARIES

Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press

We have invited you here primarily to officially spell out the guidelines for the conduct of the party's forthcoming constituency primaries to elect constituency executives following the expiration of the mandate of the current constituency officers and in pursuance to Article 7 of the party constitution. These primaries would of course be held alongside our Chapter and External Branch elections.

But before that, we wish to, first and foremost, extend gratitude and appreciation to the rank and file of the party as well as members who served on the various Polling Station and Electoral Area Elections Committee for superintending over the conduct of the just ended Polling Station and Electoral Area elections across the country.

As you would all attest to [the fact that] the exercise has been generally successful. There are, however, a few areas, numbering about 7 Constituencies where we have some challenges including law suits. But the good news is that our legal team led by Nana Obiri Boahen, the Deputy General Secretary, is competently handling these issues and making significant strides at resolving them.

The party once again thanks all stakeholders particularly the various aspirants in these elections and their supporters for the cooperation and maturity they exhibited throughout the exercise. We are also thankful to the media for a generally fair coverage and balance reportage and look forward to receiving a lot more of such cooperation in the remaining primaries.

CONSTITUENCY ANNUAL DELEGATES CONFERENCE

“The National Steering Committee of the party, at its second general meeting for 2018, which was held on Wednesday, February 6, considered and approved the rules and regulations for the conduct of constituency primaries scheduled for February 21 to 24, 2018.

“As stipulated in Article 7 (26) of our constitution, the Constituency Annual Delegates Conference shall have in attendance, the following delegates;

? Members of the Constituency Executive Committee

? All electoral Area Coordinators

? All the five (5) polling station Executives in the respective constituency

? Five (5) members of the council of elders

? Five (5) constituency patrons of the party

? Any founding member from the constituency who is a signatory to the registration document of the party at the electoral commission.

The rules and regulations for the conduct of the 2018 constituency primaries provide as follows:

1) There shall be constituted, a Constituency Elections Committee (CEC) which shall conduct the constituency Officer's elections at the scheduled dates (21st - 24th February, 2018) and at a venue as the CEC may determine.

2) The CEC shall comprise the following;

a. One (1) National Representative appointed by the National Steering Committee who shall be the chairperson of the CEC

b. One (1) Regional Representative appointed by the Regional Executive Committee who shall be the secretary to the CEC

c. One (1) Representative appointed by the Constituency Council of Elders

3) A member of the Constituency Elections Committee shall not be eligible to contest for any position in the Constituency elections.

4) A prospective candidate must be an active and known member of the party of good standing for at least two years.

5) A contestant must be a registered voter and a member of the party in the Constituency in which he/she seeks to contest.

6) Electoral Area or Polling Station Officers who wish to contest in the Constituency elections shall resign or vacate their respective positions before filing their nominations.

7) Applicants who wish to contest in the Constituency executive elections shall pay to the chairperson of the Constituency Elections Committee, a non-refundable nomination fee of two hundred Ghana cedis (GHC 200.00) for the chairperson position and one hundred Ghana cedis (GHC 100.00) for other positions.

8) Only prospective aspirants are entitled to purchase Application Forms from the Constituency Elections Committee.

9) No prospective aspirant shall not be denied access to procure Application Form.

10) If for any reason, an applicant is unable to procure an Application Form from the CEC, he/she may petition the Regional Chairman or General Secretary, for an endorsed Application Form at the Regional or National Secretariat respectively.

11) Vetting results shall be released not later than three days to the elections date

12) An aspirant for any of the Constituency executive elections shall be nominated by one (1) registered member and seconded by five (5) registered members of the party who are known, active and reside in that constituency, all of whom shall be members in good standing.

13) Three passport sized photographs shall accompany each Application Form.

14) The Constituency Album shall be used as the Register for the conduct of the elections.

15) The delegates to the conference shall vote with their party ID cards; but where same is unavailable, National Voters' ID cards may be admitted by the CEC for the purpose of voting.

16) The CEC shall, at the close of polls; paste photographs of all elected Constituency executives on prescribe Form and hand it over to the Constituency secretariat for compilation of the Constituency Album.

17) For the avoidance of doubt, the elections shall be conducted under the supervision of the Electoral Commission of Ghana as well as the Constituency Elections Committee.

18) The positions to be contested for are;

i. Constituency Chairperson

ii. Constituency 1st Vice Chairperson

iii. Constituency 2nd Vice Chairperson

iv. Constituency Secretary

v. Constituency Assistant Secretary

vi. Constituency Treasurer

vii. Constituency Organiser

viii. Constituency Women Organiser

ix. Constituency Youth Organiser

x. Constituency Nasara Coordinator

Having spelt out these Rules and Regulations on behalf of the party, I now have the singular honour and privilege to declare nominations for the various constituency executive positions duly open.

ELECTION OF CHAPTER EXECUTIVES

1) The Chapter Annual Delegates Conference of the party shall be held from 15th to 25th February, 2018 to, among other things, elect Executives for the various Chapters. There shall be constituted, a Chapter Elections Committee which shall see to the conduct of the elections. The committee shall comprise the following;

i. One (1) Representative appointed by the respective Branch Executive Committee who shall be the chairperson of the committee

ii. One Chapter Representative appointed by the Chapter Elections Committee

iii. One Representative appointed by the Branch Council of Elders and Patrons

2) A member of the Chapter Elections Committee shall not be eligible to contest for any position in the Chapter elections.

3) An aspirant for the Chapter elections must be an active and known member of good standing for at least two years.

4) An aspirant shall be a registered member in the Chapter in which he/she seeks to contest.

5) An aspirant who wishes to contest in the Chapter elections may procure Application Form from the Chapter Elections Committee at a cost determined by the Chapter Elections Committee.

6) No prospective aspirant shall be denied access to procure an Application Form.

7) An aspirant for any of the Chapter executive positions shall be nominated by one (1) registered member and seconded by three (3) registered members of the party who are known, active and reside in that Chapter, all of whom shall be of good standing.

8) In adopting these Rules and Regulations, the Chapter Elections Committee, with recourse to the National Secretariat, can make some necessary modifications in order to suit their peculiar situations.

9) The positions to be contested for are;

a) Chapter Chairperson

b) Chapter Vice Chairperson

c) Chapter Secretary

d) Chapter Treasurer

e) Chapter Organizer

f) Chapter Women Organiser

g) Chapter Youth Organiser

ELECTION OF BRANCH EXECUTIVES

1) The Branch Annual Delegates Conference shall be held from 18th to 30th March, 2018 to, among other things, elect Executives for the various External Branches of the party. There shall be constituted, a Branch Elections Committee which shall see to the conduct of the elections. The committee shall comprise the following;

a. The Branch Council of Elders Chairman or his Representative who shall be the chair of the committee

b. One (1) Representative appointed by the Branch Executive Committee

c. One Representative appointed by the National Steering Committee

2) A member of the Branch Elections Committee shall not be eligible to contest for any position in the Branch elections.

3) An aspirant for the Branch elections must be an active and known member of good standing for at least two years.

4) An aspirant shall be a registered member in the Branch in which he/she seeks to contest.

5) An aspirant who wishes to contest in the Branch elections may procure Application Form from the Branch Elections Committee at a cost determined by the Branch Elections Committee.

6) No prospective aspirant shall be denied access to procure an Application Form.

7) An aspirant for any of the Branch executive positions shall be nominated by one (1) registered member and seconded by three (3) registered members of the party who are known, active and reside in that Branch, all of whom shall be of good standing.

8) In adopting these Rules and Regulations, the Branch Elections Committee, with recourse to the National Secretariat, can make some necessary modifications in order to suit their peculiar situations.

9) The positions to be contested for are;

a) Branch Chairperson

b) Branch 1st Vice Chairperson

c) Branch 2nd Vice Chairperson

d) Branch Secretary

e) Branch Treasurer

f) Branch Organiser

g) Branch Women Organiser

h) Branch Youth Organiser

i) Branch Nasara Coordinator

10) The elected Branch executives shall appoint persons to occupy the following positions;

a. Branch Assistant Secretary

b. Deputy Branch Women Organiser

c. Deputy Branch Youth Organiser

d. Deputy Branch Organiser

e. Deputy Branch Nasara Coordinator

f. Branch Communications Officer

g. Branch Director of Research and Elections

OTHER DECISIONS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE

The steering committee has directed each of the 10 regional executive committees of the party to, with immediate effect, organise an expanded regional executive committee meeting comprising all the constituency executives in the respective regions. The meeting, which would be held under the supervision of at least one national officer, shall set the stage for the constituency delegates’ conference, where, inter alia, the Constituency Election Committee (CEC) shall be inaugurated.

CONCLUSION

The party wishes to once again, make a passionate appeal to all stakeholders especially the would-be candidates for the various positions in the upcoming primaries and their supporters to respect the rules of engagement and conduct this exercise with the necessary maturity so that we would have incidence-free primaries.

We wish all the aspiring candidates the best of luck in the elections. Let us remain united and committed to the call of our party and government at all times so that we can continue to deliver the needed prosperity to the Ghanaian people. Once again, let it be said that the NPP came out of the 2018 primaries as a much stronger party.

Thank you