John Boadu
THE NEW Patriotic Party (NPP) has given directives on how its electoral area coordinators’ elections should be held.
General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu, who gave the prescriptions at a presser in Accra yesterday, indicated that leadership, while monitoring situations surrounding the electioneering processes, had observed with worry, cases of verbal attacks among other unfortunate incidents that have brought the party’s name into disrepute.
The NPP has in recent weeks been in the news, mainly on social media, over malfeasance with respect to elections for its electoral area coordinators – a situation that has led to many party faithful across the country agitating for urgent steps to be taken by leadership to stem the unfortunate developments.
According to him, the party has launched investigations into the reported incidents, and stressed that persons found culpable of any wrongdoing would be dealt with in accordance with the party’s laws.
He revealed that preliminary investigations indicate that some members had begun agitating that they were being denied the opportunity to procure nomination forms even when the forms had not been released by the national office.
Some party officers too reportedly claimed there were no forms available when the national office had already sent at least 25 forms to all constituencies nationwide.
Furthermore, some party members also reportedly painted a party office believed to be the Fomena office in NDC colours during the agitation for nomination forms, a situation he described as “reprehensible and an affront to the dignity of the party”, and warned that the party would not take the act lightly.
He debunked claims that some national party officers were imposing an independent candidate on the Fomena electoral area, saying nominations were yet to be opened in Fomena and 10 other areas and claimed that the party did not and could not have sent forms to those places.
He, however, urged aggrieved members to use the party’s laid down structures in settling disputes and grievances without compromising the fortunes of the party as it prepares for the general elections in 2024.
Social Media Challenge
Mr. Boadu lamented the situation where some persons are quick to post photos and videos of incidents on social media, painting a picture as though the party was in shambles without taking time to ascertain the truths behind them.
Elections
Announcing the date for the party’s electoral area coordinators’ elections, Mr. Boadu said nominations would be open from March 14 – 15, this year, across all constituencies with vetting and appeals to be held on March 16 and 17, respectively.
The elections would be held on March 18 – 20.
He intimated that a re-run could be directed in some affected areas after investigations are carried out, and added that officers from the national office could be sent to monitor the exercise.
The nomination forms, he stated, would be uploaded on the party’s website to be downloaded for free on newpatrioticparty.org/npp-form.
Five additional hard copies of the nomination forms would also be sent to all electoral areas nationwide.
Interested persons after downloading and filling the forms would be required to pay GH¢50 upon submission of the forms.
BY Nii Adjei Mensahfio