NPP Sets Guidelines For Presidential Primaries

The Presidential Elections Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced the guidelines for the forthcoming Special Electoral College Elections.

The guidelines were formulated after extensive consultations with the various stakeholders including the Presidential Aspirants.

“We extend our sincere gratitude to all for your cooperation as we pursue an equitable and transparent process to elect a Presidential candidate for the 2024 general elections the statement issued by William Yaamoah, Secretary to the Committee said

Read Full Guidelines Below

JULY 31, 2023

NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY (NPP)

OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR SPECIAL ELECTORAL COLLEGE TO ELECT FIVE (5) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, AUGUST 2023

Introduction:

1. These guidelines outline the procedures and rules for the Special Electoral College, which is to elect five (5) Presidential Aspirants for national congress.
2. The Electoral Commission of Ghana, with assistance from the Presidential Elections Committee and Ghana Police Service shall conduct and supervise the election.
3. The election will take place on Saturday, 26^th August, 2023, at all the 16 Regional capitals nationwide and the Party Headquarters, Asylum Down (17 voting centers in all) .
4. In effect, there shall be one Centre in each Regional Capital as follows;
   1. Ashanti KNUST, Kumasi
   2. Ahafo Pastoral Centre, Goaso
   3. Bono Pastoral Centre, Sunyani
   4. Bono East Ameyaw-Akumfi Social Centre, Techiman
   5. Central Pempamsie Hotel, Cape Coast
   6. Eastern Eastern Premier, K’ dua
   7. Greater Accra Accra Senior High School
   8. Northern Region  Radach Hotel, Tamale
   9.  North East                         Nelerigu Secondary School
   10. Savannah                           Damango Youth Centre
   11. Upper East                    Ganas Hotel, Bolgatanga
   12.   l. Upper West             Upland Hotel, Wa
   13.   Oti                       Dambai College of Education
   14. Volta                      Pastoral Centre, Ho
   15. Western                 Regional Library Takoradi
   16. Western North       Villa Boakye Hotel, Sefwi-Wiawso

COMPOSITION OF THE SPECIAL ELECTORAL COLLEGE

2. The Special Electoral College shall comprise the following Delegates:
   1. The National Council ii. The National Executive Committee iii. All Regional Executive Committee iv. All Members of the National Council of Elders
   2. All the Party Members of Parliament

Three (3) representatives of each of the special organs of the Party

vii. Past National Officers viii. Three (3) representatives each from every external branch (27 Branches in all)

1. Founding Members during the registration of the Party at the Electoral Commission
2. All Party Card bearing Ministers

3. Voting shall be by secret ballot
4. Every delegate shall be entitled for one vote and must cast their vote for a single aspirant of their choice.

Proxy Voting

5 There would be proxy voting and the deadline for the submission of application is Wednesday 2^nd August, 2023 at 5:00pm.

6. To successfully file for a proxy, one should show proof of ABSENCE thus, Evidence of travel outside the country, medical report and other documentary evidence.
7. An affidavit must accompany every application.

l l. Proxy list will be published in the newspapers for public information and verification.

12. Any false affidavit is a criminal offence and will be reported to appropriate authorities when a challenge is raised
13. Only Delegates to the Electoral College shall have the right to vote by proxy.

Electoral College Album:

14. The Electoral College Album, submitted to the Electoral Commission and the Presidential Aspirants by the Presidential Elections Committee, shall be the only Register for the conduct of the elections.

Validated Album (Voter Register):

15. To ensure utmost transparency and credibility, the Elections Committee shall make the validated Album (voter register) available to all participating Aspirants no later than Wednesday, July 26, 2023. This provision allows one week for thorough examination and verification of the album before the Special College date.
16. The following categories of Delegates shall vote at the various voting Centers as indicated

1. National Headquarters Centre
2. National Council and National Executive Committee Members ii. National Council of Elders iii. Past National Executives iv. Sector Ministers
3. External Branch Delegates vi. Special Wings Delegates
4. 16 Regional Voting Centres
5. Founding Members ii. Regional Executive Committee Members iii. Members of Parliament
6. Regional Representatives to National Council
7. Regional Ministers

Dispute Resolution:

15. All disputes, if any, arising from this process shall be referred to the Presidential Elections Committee for prompt and amicable resolution.
16. Persons whose names are not in the Album shall be disallowed to vote.

Acceptable Forms of Identification Documents

17. Delegates of the Special Electoral College shall as proof of identification show either the Party Membership Identity (ID) Cards, National Voters I.D Cards, or Ghana Card.

Polling Time

18. The poll will start at 9:00 am and close at 1:00 pm at all the Centres.
19. Counting & Declaration of Results:
    1. Ballots will be counted and declared immediately after the close of poll at each voting center
    2. Each Aspirants will have Two (2) Accredited Agents but at all times be represented by One (1) Agent at each voting center.
    3. The Presiding Officer at the voting center will announce the voting center results.

d, Failure of an Agent to sign the center results will not invalidate the announcement by the Presiding Officer.

1. The Regional Director will then WhatsApp the declared result sheet to a platform created by the Electoral Commission and emailed the results to (ec@gmail.com) for collation at the EC Head Office.

COLLATION OF NPP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES TO ELECT FIVE (5) CANDIDATES AT ELECTORAL COMMISSION HEAD OFFICE

15. The results of the Special Delegates to elect Five (5) Presidential Candidates from each Region shall be collated at Electoral Commission Head Office, Accra.
16. Each Aspirants would be represented by himself or his accredited agents (2 Agents) at the Collation Centre.
17. After the collation, the EC shall officially declare the results at the NPP Headquarters, Asylum Down.
18. The results will be signed by the Returning Officer and counter signed by one of the Candidate’s Agents at the Collation Centre.

ISSUE OF TIE IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE/RUN-OFF

19, In the event of 2, 3, or 4 contestants sharing the total results with the remaining contestants not obtaining any votes, there will be a run-off for those who obtained zero votes to add up to the number to make up to the five (5). In the event of a tie between two or more Candidates for the fifth (5th) position, a run-off election will be conducted for those who will tie on Saturday, September 2, 2023.

ELECTION OFFICIALS TO BE RECRUITED

I st. One Presiding Officer for each Polling Station

2nd. One Assistant in charge of the Register.

3rd. One Assistant in charge of indelible ink

4th. One ballot issuer

23. Voting offences will include the following;

It is an offence to:

1. Vote or attempt to vote more than once for particular position
2. Buy or sell vote
3. Compel somebody to vote in a particular way
4. Obstruct a delegate from freely exercising his or her right to vote
5. Display your marked ballot paper in such a way as to make it known to others the candidate you are voting for

Take photo of how you voted in any particular way

Some mutually agreed decisions undertaken by the Presidential Aspirants

1. No Aspirants will appoint active government officials or any delegate listed to vote in the Presidential elections as agents (whether Special Electoral College or the Main Election). For the purpose of clarity, such officials include, but are not limited to, MMDCEs, Ministers, and CEOs of state-owned enterprises, Regional Executives, Constituency Executives.
2. The Electoral Commission should enforce and adhere to restricting delegates from taking their phones to the ballot booth.

• The Electoral Commission should use complex serial numbers to avoid ballots being traced to voters.

1. The Electoral Commission should deny influencers and “Machomen” access to the voting centers.
2. The Electoral Commission should administer only Walk-in standard practice. Presiding officers should not call out names of delegates in the queue to vote at the voting centers.