The much-anticipated National Council meeting of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was called off at the last-minute due to unforseen developments.
Though party sources would not disclose to the reason for the postponement, it was believed it is due to an injunction blocking elections for the selection of a presidential candidate. The writ for the injunction was filed by Mr David Hoezame from Mafi Akyemfo in the Volta Region.
Other sources at the party’s headquarters, however, attributed the postponement to the absence of the General Secretary of the party, Mr Kwabena Agyepong, who has travelled outside the country.
The party is yet to appoint some officers, such as deputies for the General Secretary, the National Organiser, the Women’s Organiser and the National Youth Organiser.
The National Council meeting yesterday was to firm up arrangements by the party for the presidential primary scheduled for not later than December 6, this year.
Top on the agenda included the consideration of a suggestion for the party to go to an early congress by September this year to reduce attacks between supporters of presidential hopefuls.
Some are against the proposal, describing it as not being in line with the party’s constitution.
This is the second time the NC, the second highest decision-making body of the party, is meeting under the chairmanship of Mr Paul Awentami Afoko. They first met on June 6, 2014, when they endorsed a number of issues, including the date for opening of nominations for the presidential primaries.
The NPP constitution mandates the party, when it is in opposition, to open nominations six months before a presidential primary and two years before a general election.
So far, seven aspirants have picked nomination forms to contest the flag-bearer position since nominations opened last Friday, June 6, 2014:
- Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, popularly called Alan Cash
- Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament and MP for Essikado-Ketan, Mr Joe Ghartey
- a former Information Minister Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
- Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng
- MP for Mampong, Mr Francis Addai Nimoh.
- former MP for Offinso North, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku
- MP for Asuogyaman, Mr Kofi Osei Ameyaw
Both Mr Kyerematen and Dr Konadu Apraku contested the position in 2008 and 2012 but lost to Nana Akufo-Addo.
Source: Daily Graphic
