The National Council of the New Patriotic Party has officially opened nominations for the 2012 presidential candidate. The National Congress to elect the flagbearer is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 3.
According to a press release from the General Secretary of the party, Kwadwo €œSir John†Owusu Afriyie, 'Nominations opens on Wednesday 31stof March 2010 and close on Friday 7th May, 2010.'
Vetting of aspirants closes on Wednesday, 2nd June, 2010.
The statement adds, 'There shall be a Special Electoral College if there are more than five (5) aspirants and this is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 3rd July, 2010.'
It continues, 'If, however, there are no hitches regarding the process, then the Special Congress†to elect the flagbearer, 'shall be held on Saturday, 31st July, 2010.'
Also, 'If there should be a run-off, it shall be held on Saturday, 28th August, 2010.'
The Special Electoral College will consist of little over 580 delegates whiles the total number of delegates making up the Electoral College to elect the flagbearer will be in the region of 115,000. The election of the flagbearer will take place simultaneously in 230 centres of the 230 constituencies in the country.
The statement gave notice that 'any member who qualifies under Article 12(a),(4) of the NPP constitution and wishes to be NPP Presidential Candidate is required to apply for forms from the General Secretary, NPP Headquarters, Asylum Down, Accra.'
Speaking to The Statesman after today's National Council meeting, Sir John explained that the National Council resolved that, if necessary, all legitimate persuasive efforts would be made after the close of nominations to ensure that the number of nominees did not go beyond 5, in order to avoid the Special Electoral College.
That would mean, the election for the 2010 flagbearer takes place on July 3. 'But, if at the end of the day we have more than 5 then the Special College would meet on July 3rd and the National Congress itself would be shifted to August 28th.'
He further explained that in case none of the maximum five candidates attained the required over 50% of the total votes on July 3, the run-off of the top two candidates would take place on August 28.
As exclusively predicted by The Statesman yesterday after the National Executive Committee meeting of Tuesday, March 30, the National Council today set the filing fee at Gh¢25,000 – the same rate used in the 2007 National Congress.
