NPP Confab: Blay Defends Voice Voting

Acting New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Freddie Blay

Acting New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Freddie Blay has defended the decision of the party to resort to voice voting during the amendment of the party’s constitution at the just-ended extraordinary delegates’ congress in Kumasi.

“Even in parliament there is a voice vote. Except some people get up to challenge it, the constitution is specific that the Chairman has the right to decide which vote at what [point]. Unless you challenge then of course you could even ask for head count or secret ballot,” Mr Blay told Class91.3FM in response to aspiring NPP national chairman and political science lecturer, Dr Richard Amoako Baah’s questioning of the constitutionality of the voice voting procedure used by the party on Sunday, December 17.

The voice vote was in connection with amendment proposals considered at the conference.

Dr Baah who was not enthused about the processes told Class News no part of the NPP constitution prescribes voice voting on constitutional amendment issues. He said delegates should have been allowed to cast ballots with two-third majority votes required to approve any such amendment.

Dr Baah, therefore, argued that the outcome of Sunday’s exercise should be nullified.

But Mr Blay disagrees and says there was no breach of the NPP’s constitution insisting the constitution also recognises voting by voice.

Source: ClassFMonline.com

 

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