NPP constitution to be amended

The highest decision making body of the ruling New Patriotic Party, comprising of all the party regional executives and national officers, met over the weekend at a three-day workshop held in Accra, and are expected to come up with proposals which will include amending certain provisions of the party's constitution ahead of the 2008 general elections.

The proposals would have to be approved by delegates from constituencies across the country at the party's conference scheduled for next month.

However, a proposal to amend the portion of the constitution that deals with the election of a flagbearer is not on the cards, Peter Mac Manu, NPP National Chairman, told The Statesman.

Some schools of thought within the party have sought to amend the portion relating to the time for the election of the party’s flagbearer, arguing that while the constitution says a flagbearer should be elected no later than 11 months before a general election, there is no reason why he or she should not be elected much earlier. In the past the party has stuck to the 11 month proviso, but some party members feel it is time for a change, insisting that the period for campaigning might not be long enough.

Also, the requirement that any public official desirous of leading the party into a general election resign his office may not be a very good idea, they add.

Asked whether the party was not bothered by the seeming scramble for the flagbearership, Mr Mac Manu told The Statesman that as far as he was concerned, nobody was gunning for the party’s mandate at this point. Rather, what those who have been labeled aspirants are engaged in now is pre nomination campaigning, a means of testing the waters to assess their popularity. When nominations are opened, however, he believes many of the aspirants would reconsider their decisions and perhaps declare support for a colleague contestant.

At the last count, there were about sixteen presidential aspirants, each of them hoping to be elected as a flagbearer to lead NPP in 2008 general elections. "I’m not bothered about people testing the waters because I don’t know them officially," Mac Manu stressed.

According to him, the party stands to gain a lot from the activities of the aspirants going round to campaign because in the process they whip up enthusiasm among party supporters.

Earlier, delivering his address, Mr Mac Manu, said the purpose of the workshop was among other things to assess the party’s performance in the last election and strategise on the way forward.

He enumerated successes chalked by the NPP over the years but pointed out that there pointed out there were challenges, including rising tension and apathy within party members because of perceived neglect, conflicts between District Chief Executives, Members of Parliament, and constituency executives.