Hackman Owusu-Agyemang
Chairman of the Council of Elders of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Hackman Owusu-Agyemang has admonished presidential aspirants of the party to always learn to forgive one another albeit the abuses.
According to him, the aspirants should avoid acting in ways that will weaken the party if they lose the flagbearer elections.
Mr Owusu-Agyemang observed that forgiving and forgetting the most unpalatable abuses in losing an election is not always easy but that is the nature of elections hence aspirants must learn to forgive and forget.
He made the appeal during a meeting President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and other leaders of the NPP had with the flagbearer aspirants on Thursday, November 2, 2023 ahead of the internal elections on Saturday.
The meeting was also attended by the National Chairman of the NPP, Stephen Ntim and General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong. Former President John Agyekum Kuffuor joined via Zoom.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Assin Central Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong and former Member of Parliament for Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimoh and forner Agric Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto all attended the meeting.
“I am very much aware that forgiving and forgetting the most unpalatable abuses in losing an election is not always easy, there may be further ridicules and challenges along the way.
“This is the nature of all elections but we shouldn’t allow the severest pain to break us, this is the only way our party can remain relevant in this changing political landscape.
“We should remember that November 4 will come and go and remain only as a memory but the NPP, if we do not allow our action to destroy will exist for long time to come.”
The NPP will be going for the flagbearer elections on Saturday, November 4.
Already, the Presidential Elections Committee released the guidelines for the primaries that will take place at all the 276 constituencies across the country and the Party Headquarters, Asylum Down, Accra.
In a statement, the committee said the guidelines outlined the procedures and rules for the primaries that would elect a presidential candidate for the 2024 general election.
“The Electoral Commission (EC) shall supervise the conduct of the elections and shall have the full responsibility of ensuring a transparent, free and fair election. No persons, whether party officials or otherwise whatsoever shall act in contravention to the EC and these guidelines.”
The Committee added that “the security activities rest exclusively with the police and access beyond security perimeters is restricted to Delegates, Presidential Elections Committee Members, Contestants and their accredited agents.
The Presidential Elections Committee of the Party is the entity with the Constitutional mandate from the National Council to oversee the organization and conduct of the election for the Presidential Candidate.”
The committee also said that there shall be no campaign, canvassing for votes or gathering of party people for any purpose whatsoever a day before voting, adding that there shall be no camping of delegates, accreditation is constituency specific and that the media will be granted accreditation.
“Voters are expected to “walk in” freely by themselves. The physically challenged may be assisted. A voter must wait to be cleared before entering the perimeter- Queue Control. No voter shall wear the colour or effigy of a contestant at the voting center (i.e. T-shirts, cap, posters of contestants). Delegates shall not be allowed to enter the voting screen or booth in groups or in pairs.”
“Voting shall not take place indoors but in an open place in the full glare of the public. It is an offence for unaccredited persons to enter the voting perimeter. A delegate who has already cast his/her vote shall not be re-admitted into the voting perimeter. Any person found directing a delegate on which contestant to vote for commits an offence and shall be removed by the police,” the committee stated.
By Vincent Kubi