John Boadu
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has outlined guidelines and modalities for the conduct of its parliamentary primaries in orphan constituencies nationwide.
Orphan constituencies are those in which the party has no sitting Member of Parliament.
A statement issued by the General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu, says the party national steering committee, at its meeting on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, considered and approved the guidelines and modalities.
The statement said meeting of the national steering committee was consequent to the directives of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party which met on July 1, 2019, pursuant to Article 12 and 13 of the party constitution, at which meeting NEC tasked the National Steering Committee to come out with guidelines and modalities.
It mentioned that the approved guidelines and modalities included among others, the holding of parliamentary primaries on 28th September, 2019 for the orphan constituencies simultaneously across the country; the opening of nominations on July 20, 2019 and its closure on August 3, 2019.
Also, per the guidelines and modalities, an aspiring parliamentary candidate is required to procure nomination forms after the payment of non-refundable application fee of GH¢2,000.00 in bankers draft in favour of the NPP at its national headquarters in Accra.
According to the statement, an aspiring candidate is to pay a non-refundable filing fee GH¢20,000.00.
However, it said, for purposes of encouraging more Women, youth and physically challenged persons to aspire to higher political office, such prospective aspiring parliamentary candidates would enjoy a rebate of 50 percent on all applicable filing fees.
Vetting Process
It stated that the vetting of aspiring parliamentary candidates would be held from 10th August to 15th August, and the vetting report shall be submitted to NEC not later than August 18, 2019.
The statement revealed that a National Parliamentary Appeals Committee would receive petitions from disgruntled or disqualified aspiring candidates from 20th August to 23rd August.
A National Parliamentary Vetting Committee (NPVC) shall be constituted for the purpose of vetting Aspiring Parliamentary Candidates (APCs) who intend to compete for selection/election as the Party’s parliamentary candidate in a particular constituency, it said.
It added that notice of polls would be published on 31st August, 2019
Composition
The National Parliamentary Vetting Committee, it said, would comprise of
one representative appointed by the National Executive Committee who would be the Chairperson; the Regional Secretary, who would be the Secretary to the Committee, one representative from the regional Executive Committee,
all three members of the Constituency Parliamentary Election Committee.
Appointed Chairpersons
It disclosed that NEC has appointed regional representatives or chairpersons for the national parliamentary vetting committee.
In the Greater Accra Region, Nii Adu Mantey, is the chairperson, with Rita Asobayire taking charge of the Ashanti Region.
For Western Region, Sammi Awuku is to represent the Committee; Northern Region, Evans Nimako; Eastern Region, O.B. Amoah; Volta Region, F.F Antoh (Chairman) and Brigadier J. Odei.
North East Region has Emmamuel Attafour Danso; Ahafo Region is Henry Nana Boakye; Upper West Region, Omari Wadie; Bono Region, Henry Nana Boakye; Western North Region, Kwadjo Afari;
Upper East Region, Nii Laryea Squire (Chairman) and Kwayaja Nganiba Joseph; Oti Region, Dr. Clifford Braimah
Bono-East Region; Nana Obiri Boahen
Savanna Region; Kofi Marfo, and
Central Region, Ofori Asiamah
“The Constituency Executive Committee and Regional Executive Committee members are observers during vetting session,” it noted.
“For purposes of this selection/election process, persons holding positions as constituency or regional executives who wish to contest in the primaries shall recuse themselves from their current positions throughout the selection/election process until the parliamentary primaries are over,” it added.
Accordingly, the statement stressed, “such persons would not attend the vetting session as observers.”
Appeals Committee
It mentioned that the National Parliamentary Appeals Committee comprised: Peter Mac Manu – Chairperson; Evans Nimako – Secretary;
Addo Kufour – Member; Elizabeth Ohene – Member; Cecelia Abena Dapaah – Member; S.K. Boafo – Member;
Lawyer Gary Nimako – Member;
Lawyer Emmanuel Darko – Member;
Lawyer Joyce Opoku-Boateng – Member.
It explained that the National Parliamentary Appeals Committee would have the capacity to receive and resolve petitions that may be submitted by disqualified aspirant(s).
“An APC who is dissatisfied with the vetting process and outcome thereof, may petition the National Appeals Committee for immediate redress,” it said, adding that “the decision of the National Parliamentary Appointments Committee on the petition so submitted to it shall be communicated to the National Executive Committee through the General Secretary.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, no APC shall proceed to Court in respect of any matter regarding this election unless and until he/she has fully exhausted the internal redress procedures and mechanisms for resolving disputes in accordance with Article 4(8)(4) of the party’s constitution,” the statement observed.
BY Melvin Tarlue