The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Justin Kodua Frimpong has said no executive of the party has been asked to support Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to win the November 4 flagbearer election.
Speaking on the ‘Hot Issue’ with Kemmini Amanor on TV3 on Sunday, October 29, he said the focus of the national executives is to ensure a smooth process to elect a flagbearer.
“Sometimes questions are raised as to someone being an established candidate but when you talk about the established candidate who are you referring to?
“So far as I am concerned as General Secretary of the party together with our national chairman, and our national executives, we have never, at any point in time, been coerced or suggested to support a particular candidate.
“For us, throughout our dealings with all the aspirants, the presidential election committee, and the rank and file of our party we have been very consistent that our interest is to make sure we navigate this process successfully to elect our flagbearer,” he said when asked whether they have been asked to support the establishment candidate Dr Bawumia.
Earlier, Former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng noted that Dr Bawumia was enjoying the support of government and party officials ahead of the internal elections.
In his view, this show the Vice President was weak without the support of the officials.
He called for an even playing field ahead of the presidential primaries of the NPP.
Apart from Dr. Bawumia, the other aspirants are Assin Central Lawmaker Kennedy Agyapong, former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Akoto Afriyie and Former Member of Parliament for Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimoh.
In an earlier interview with Keminni Amanor Prof Frimpong-Boateng said “He is most vulnerable and has more baggage than any of the aspirants. If you are strong, we leave him to compete on a level-playing grounds.
“But if government or party appointees are whipped in line to toe that line, it shows that he is weak, and he needs that kind of support.”
The Presidential Elections Committee of the NPP 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 National Council to oversee the organization and conduct of the election for the Presidential Candidate,” the committee stated.
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.
Source: www.3news.com