Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, is pleased with the meeting that President Nana Addo Dankwa Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Council of the Elders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) held with all NPP flagbearer aspirants ahead of internal elections.
Even though the meeting was mostly for public relations purposes, Koku Anyidoho stated that the optics were positive.
“Honestly, even if it is only for the cameras, from a professional PR perspective, the optics is very good. If only my Party Leaders could have the humility of spirit to exhibit something similar, it would help but, too much pride & ego is killing them,” he tweeted.
https://x.com/KokuAnyidoho/status/1720341523294773740?s=20
President Akufo-Addo and other NPP officials met with flagbearer candidates before of Thursday’s internal elections.
Stephen Ntim, National Chair of the NPP, General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong, and Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Chairman of the Council of Elders, among others, attended the meeting. Former President John Agyekum Kufuor joined the discussion via Zoom.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Assin Central Member of Parliament Kennedy Agyapong, Former Member of Parliament for Mampong Francis Addai-Nimoh, and Former Agriculture Minister Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto all attended the meeting.
Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang addressed the gathering.
He said “I am very much aware that forgiving and forgetting the most unpalatable abuses in losing an election is not always easy, there may be further ridicules and challenges along the way.
“This is the nature of all elections but we shouldn’t allow the severest pain to break us, this is the only way our party can remain relevant in this changing political landscape.
“We should remember that November 4 will come and go and remain only as a memory but the NPP, if we do not allow our action to destroy will exist for long time to come.”
On Saturday, November 4, the NPP will hold flagbearer elections.
The Presidential Elections Committee has announced the criteria for the primaries, which will take place across the country in all 276 seats and at the Party Headquarters in Asylum Down, Accra.
The committee stated in a statement that the guidelines described the procedures and criteria for the primaries that would select a presidential candidate for the general election in 2024.
“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.”
According to the Committee, “Security activities are solely the responsibility of the police, and access beyond security perimeters is restricted to Delegates, Presidential Elections Committee Members, Contestants, and their accredited agents.” The Party’s Presidential Elections Committee is the agency having the Constitutional authority from the National Council to oversee the organisation and conduct of the Presidential Candidate election.”
The committee further said that there would be no campaigning, soliciting for votes, or assembling of party members for any reason a day before voting, that there would be no camping of delegates, that accreditation would be constituency specific, and that media accreditation would be allowed.
“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 centre (i.e. T-shirts, caps, 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.
