Kwabena Abankwa Yeboah
The governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Presidential Election Committee (PEC), has announced its readiness to conduct the Special Delegates Conference slated for Saturday, August 26.
The Special Electoral College elections, according to the party’s constitution, is to help reduce its 10 presidential aspirants to 5, to subsequently elect presidential candidate for the party in November, 2023.
Speaking at a press conference to update the public on the party’s preparedness towards the polls on Saturday, Vice Chairman of the Committee, Kwabena Abankwa Yeboah said the Special Electoral College Election slated for Saturday, August 26, 2023 will take place across all 16 regional capitals and the party headquarters at Asylum Down.
He said voting will start at 9:00am and end at 1:00pm as delegates are expected to present their Party Membership Identity (I.D.) Cards, National Voters I.D. Cards, or Ghana Cards for identification before casting their votes.
Special Electoral College Composition
He stated that 956 candidates expected to cast their votes on Saturday comprises representatives from various party entities including “the National Council, the National Executive Committee, all Regional Executive Committee, all Members of the National Council of Elders and all the Party Members of Parliament.
“The rest are three (3) representatives of each of the special organs of the party, past national officers three (3) representatives each from every external branch (27 branches in all), founding members during the registration of the party at the Electoral Commission, and all party card bearing ministers,” he noted.
According to the Vice Chairman, ballot shall be counted and result announced immediately after the polls in the full glare of the public.
Voting Centres & Rules
Mr. Abankwa Yeboah also indicated that voting centres are designated according to delegate categories, emphasising free, fair, and confidential balloting where actions such as multiple voting, trading of votes, coercion, obstruction, and the display of marked ballots will be prohibited at all voting centres.
He also added that National Executive Committee Members, National Council of Elders, Past National Executives, Sector Ministers who are non-MPs, External Branch Delegates as well as Special Wings Delegates are expected to vote at the national headquarters centre, while Founding Members, Regional Executive Committee Members, Members of Parliament, will vote at the regional centres.
The 10 aspirants who are seeking to be voted to be part of the final five aspirants to contest for the party’s flagbearer are Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Joe Ghartey, Kwadwo Poku and Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto.
The rest are Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Francis Addai-Nimoh, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Regional Representatives to the National Council and Regional Ministers will also vote at the regional voting centres.
Collation Of Results
According to the committee, results will be collated at the Electoral Commission (EC) head office in Accra with the participation of aspirants and/or representatives while the EC officially declares the results at the NPP Headquarters at Asylum Down.
He mentioned further that the committee and presidential aspirants have both agreed on several critical measures, including refraining from appointing active government officials or delegates as agents.
“Others include enforcement of restrictions on phones and electronic devices at voting screens, using complex serial numbers on ballots as well as denying access to all persons that will act in such manner that will undermine the credibility of the process,” he added.
Security Arrangements
He further said that to ensure successful elections on Saturday, the committee has asked the police to take “full and absolute control of the security”.
“No other security will be permitted at the various voting centres. Persons who are not delegates will be restricted from going beyond a designated security zone set up by the police,” he added.
He, therefore, urged the delegates to abide by the rules and regulations governing the electoral process as set out in the guidelines.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah