The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has denied the claim made by the runaway Presidential candidate hopeful, Mr. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen that the August 26 Super Delegates Conference was tactically skewed in favour of a particular candidate in the party’s internal Presidential race.
The former Minister of Trade and Industry among reasons cited for his decision to resign from the governing party alleged that the Super Delegates Conference was strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular aspirant.
He also accused the National Council of the party which is the second highest decision-making body of taking some unmeritorious and unconstitutional decisions leading to the special delegates’ conference to shortlist five of the ten aspirants.
“They rejected a petition signed by nine out of the ten aspirants, requesting for the Super Delegates Conference to be held in one location, as well as allowing each Delegate to the Conference to nominate five persons, instead of one, in line with the provisions in the Party’s Constitution” he said.
General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong at a news conference on Tuesday, September 26, vehemently stated without doubt, the National Council is the appropriate body mandated by the Party’s Constitution to make a determination on the date and venue, therefore, did not violate the Constitution by voting against the proposal for the use of a single venue for the elections.
He disclosed that Article 13(1) (1), of the NPP Constitution states that the date and venue for the presidential primaries shall be decided by the National Council, provided, however that the National Council may, on appropriate occasion vary the date.
Furthermore, Mr. Kodua indicated there is a historical precedence where in 2014, the Special Electoral College elections were held at several venues at the time, no aspirant including Mr. Kyerematen filed no petition regarding the venue.
He also submitted that the Party’s Constitution further states in Article 13(2)(2) that where there is more than one contestant, each delegate will cast his or her vote by secret ballot for one of the contestants and intimated therefore, the demand by the petitioners for delegates to vote for five (5) persons instead of one is unconstitutional.
“It needs mentioning, that as democratic and transparent as the leadership of the Party has been, it recommended to the consideration of the National Council a determination on the petition upon receipt of same. Even more important is the fact that, the petitioners (although most of them are not members of the National Council) were granted the rare opportunity to appear before the Council and make their case on why such a proposal should be adopted.
“In a true democratic process, seventy-three (73) members of the National Council voted against both proposals relative to nine (9) others who voted in support, underscoring the overwhelming rejection of both proposals” he clarified.
