NPP gives operating instructions for Saturday election

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Wednesday informed delegates, candidates and members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the coming election would be conducted by the Electoral Commission (EC) and under the general provisions of the Public Elections Regulations, 2012 C.I. 75.

It said as such presiding officers of the EC would be in total control of the polling stations. A candidate might appoint two polling agents to attend at every polling station nationwide, but only one would be engaged at any given time.

An official statement signed by Perry Okudzeto, Acting Communications Director of NPP and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said this was to educate members of the operating instructions for the election of the party’s presidential candidate on October 18, 2014.

It said the poll would start between 700 hours 1500 hours and only those still in the queue before 3:00 pm would be allowed to vote.

It said voters would be asked to produce a voter identification card or a party membership card to establish their eligibility.

The statement said after ballots were cast, results of the election would be transmitted to the Regional Electoral Officer and the National Electoral Commission for collation in the presence of candidate’s agents, before the declaration.

“Aspirants are further entitled to nominate Two (2) agents to represent them at the results collation centre at the Electoral Commission Headquarters.

“In accordance with the provisions of the Party’s Constitution, the candidates who receives more than fifty percent of the valid votes cast shall be declared elected as the presidential candidate of the party by the Electoral Commission.

“Where no candidate obtains more than fifty percent of the valid votes cast, the Electoral Commission shall conduct a second election and the candidates who obtained the second highest number of votes shall subject to any withdrawal be the candidates in the subsequent election and the process shall be continued,” it added.

It said for the purpose of the election, the District Electoral Officer would prescribe the polling station in the constituency capital after the consultation with the constituency executive. The polling station shall be the polling station for persons entitled to vote in the constituency.

All regional officers and other persons required to vote at the regional centre shall note at the polling station in the constituency where the regional officer is sited.

The statement said the National Headquarters at Asylum Down would be the polling station for national council members; national executive committee members with the exception of regional officers and Members of Parliament; national council of elders; past national officers.

The rests are Past President of Ghana; past NPP presidential candidates and running mate; Three (3) representatives of each of the special organs of the party; 12 delegates from every external branch as defined under section 8 (2) of the NPP Constitution; past NPP presidential candidates and running mate; three (3) representatives of each of the special organs of the party, and 12 delegates from every external branch as defined under section 8 (2) of the NPP Constitution.

The statement warned that there would be no campaigning at the polling station on Election Day and party supporters would not wear T’shirts of candidates to the polling station that day.

“Voters who display the candidate of their choice at the polling station after marking the ballot paper will have their votes nullified (Art. 49 Secret Ballot). Refusal of candidate’s agents to sign declaration of results sheets will not invalidate the election results.

“No voter shall take photos of any “thumb printed” ballot paper. There shall be no violence at the polling station. No party official shall give directives to the presiding officer/delegates. No media house shall declare the election results of the election; only provisional results emanating from the various polling stations shall be communicated to the general public.

“Only the Electoral Commission of Ghana shall declare certified results of the election. Constituency patrons and council of elders are not eligible to vote,” the statement said.