The National Council of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has set nomination fees for the upcoming elections for various positions of the party from February 19 to July 16, 2022.
The second highest decision-making body indicated that aspirants for the position of National Chairman are expected to dole out GH¢20,000 as nomination fees whilst those for the Vice Chairman or chairperson would be expected to deposit GH¢15,000 as their nomination fees.
Furthermore, aspirants for General Secretary will pay GH¢10,000 whilst other aspirants including Treasurer and Organiser will each pay GH¢8,000 with the exception of the women’s wing, Nasara and youth wings that would pay GH¢6,000 each.
NPP General Secretary John Boadu who announced these at a news conference on Friday added that an aspirant for the Regional Chairman position will pay GH¢5,000 as nomination fees while all other positions will be expected to pay GH¢2,000.
He also disclosed that an aspiring constituency chairman will pay GH¢500 while all other positions would pay GH¢200.
Election guidelines
Announcing the guidelines for the elections, Mr John Boadu reiterated that all the elections would be held from February 19, to July 16, this year with the National Executive elections and the National Annual Delegates Conference slated for July 14 -16, 2022.
This, according to him, forms part of measures by the party’s leadership to ensure an effective re-organisation of the party to strengthen it to enable it retain power in the 2024 general election.
The NPP General Secretary indicated that as a way of ensuring peaceful internal elections, the council, decided to form election committees at the various levels to supervise the elections.
This, he pointed out, followed a meeting it held in Accra last Thursday, to deal with matters regarding the party’s re-organisation efforts as it seeks to retain power in 2024.
Mr Boadu however indicated that elections would not be held in some of the constituencies until a National Steering Committee takes a decision on a few issues.
He was however quick to say that those issues were “specific” in nature but not for public consumption.
The constituencies are Bawku Central, Assin North, Jaman South, Fomena, Jomoro, Savelugu, Techiman South and Akwatia.
Code of conduct
The NPP General Secretary used the platform to entreat party faithful and aspirants to help make the elections peaceful.
He equally reminded them of the need to abide by the party’s Code of Conduct saying, “in view of the recent agitations regarding the enforcement of the Code of Conduct as it relates to the Presidential primaries, the party wishes to emphasise that the code, which is only a supplement to the party’s constitution provides clear procedures for handling alleged breaches and non-enforcement of its content”.
Mr John Boadu has therefore entreated all party members who may be aggrieved in one way or the other to petition the National Complaints Committee to seek redress “rather than holding press conferences and accusing the party of selectivity”.
Application forms
Mr John Boadu said application forms can be obtained from polling stations and electoral area election committee at a fee of GH¢10.
According to the guidelines approved by the council, no prospective aspirant shall be denied access to the purchase of the application forms and if denied he or she has the right to put in a petition.
All applicants are also required to be a known or be active members of the party at the polling station or electoral area they seek to contest.
Requirements
The election committees under the regulations are required to receive completed application forms from prospective aspirants with three passport size photographs not later than three days to the polling station or electoral area elections.
Among the requirements, the name of an aspirant must be captured in an updated polling station register and must be a card bearing member who votes at the same polling station or electoral area he or she is contesting.
Polling stations
At the polling station level, Mr John Boadu indicated that elections would be held from February 19 to March 5, 2022 while the electoral area elections would be held from March 18 to March 20, 2022.
He explained that a polling station and electoral area elections committee would be put in place to oversee the elections.
Membership of the elections committee shall comprise one regional representative appointed by the regional executive committee who shall chair the committee.
The other members shall include constituency chairman, secretary, research and elections officer, constituency council of elder, patron, constituency Information Technology officer, Member of Parliament or his representative (this does not apply to orphaned constituencies), and an elderly woman.
Constituency elections
According to Mr John Boadu, constituency executive elections to be held at the Constituency Annual Delegates Conference to be supervised by a Constituency Election Committee between April 22 and April 24, 2022.
Regional elections
The regional executive elections and for that matter the Regional Annual Delegates Conference, the NPP General Secretary announced, would be held between May 20 and May 22, 2022 and supervised by the Regional Elections Committee.
National elections
The National Executive elections and the Annual National Delegates Conference are scheduled to take place from July 14 to July 16, 2022.
These elections, according to Mr. John Boadu, would also be supervised by a National Elections Committee.
