NPP Internal Elections: Conduct Of Regional Executives Elections And Related Matters
The National Council of the NPP, which is the second highest decision making body of the Party, at its meeting held on 12th May, 2022, approved Rules and Regulations to guide the conduct of the Party’s Regional Annual Delegates Conference, which shall, among other things, elect Regional Executive Officers of the Party between May 27 and May 29, 2022.
The Council also reviewed the conduct of the just ended Constituency Annual Delegates Conference of the Party which was held between April 28 and May 2, 2022, across the country. The records are to the effect that only 10 Constituency Elections are outstanding out of the 275 Constituencies. The Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, working in close collaboration with the National Party, is working hard to resolve the issues in these outstanding Constituencies.
EXTENSION OF THE MANDATE OF CONSTITUENCY EXECUTIVES IN ASSIN NORTH, JOMORO AND SAVELUGU
Following the review of the Constituency Executives Elections, the National Council, having regard to the peculiar nature of Assin North, Jomoro and Savelugu Constituencies, where the Party is challenging the 2020 Parliamentary Elections Results in court, affirmed the Party’s decision to temporary suspend the conduct of Constituency Executives Elections in these three Constituencies until further notice.
The National Council thereupon decided, pursuant to Article 10(3)(1) of the Party Constitution, and considering the exigencies of the situation at hand, to extend the mandate of the current Constituency Executives in these three Constituencies (i.e. Assin North, Jomoro and Savelugu) to enable the Constituency Executives participate in the impending Regional and Annual Delegates Conference of the Party, until otherwise communicated by the Party having regard to developments in court with respect to the election petitions.
ELECTION OF ASSISTANT REGIONAL SECRETARIES
The National Council also ratified the proposal from the National Executive Committee to correct the wording of Article 9(2), by deleting “Deputy Regional Secretary”, which was inadvertently included to the list of appointive positions at the Regional Executive Committee level during the last constitutional amendment on 17th December, 2017.
Equally, the exact description of the position has been corrected to read “Assistant Regional Secretary”, instead of “Deputy Regional Secretary”. The correction of this clerical error is to reflect the actual position of the Constitution of the Party, to the effect that the said position has always been an elective position.
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE CONDUCT OF REGIONAL EXECUTIVES ELECTIONS
With reference to Article 9(27)(e) of the NPP Constitution which provides that, the Party’s Regional Annual Delegates Conference shall meet to elect Regional Officers, as well as Article 18 on Guidelines for the operations of the Party at all levels, the Party’s National Council, has, at its meeting on May 12, 2022, fashioned out the following Rules and Regulations for the conduct of the Party’s Regional Annual Delegates Conference, to elect Regional Executives.
1) The Regional Elections shall be conducted at a Regional Annual Delegates Conference to be held from Friday 27th May, 2022 to Sunday 29th May, 2022, across the country.
2) Pursuant to Section17(2) of the Political Parties Law, Act 574, which provides that the election of National, Regional and Constituency Officers of every political party shall be conducted under the supervision of the Electoral Commission, the constituency elections shall be supervised by the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
3) All the processes leading to the elections and other related activities shall be organized and superintended over by a Regional Elections Committee, to be constituted as follows:
i. Two (2) National Representatives, appointed by the National Steering Committee (one of whom shall be the Chair and the other as the Secretary);
ii. Chairman of the Regional Council of Elders;
iii. Chairman of the Regional Council of Patrons;
iv. One (1) Representative appointed by the Regional Executive Committee (preferably a Minister of Deputy, Government Appointee, MMDCE, a former MP or a former MMDCE – provided that he or she is not a Candidate in the elections);
v. Chairperson of the Regional Parliamentary Caucus or his Representative;
vi. The Dean of the MMDCEs in the Region or his Representative;
vii. Regional Research and Elections officer
viii. Regional I.T. Coordinator
ix. An Elderly Woman appointed by the Regional Executive Committee
4) Pursuant to Rule 4(i) above, the Party has appointed the following persons as National Steering Committee Representatives on the Regional Elections Committee in the following regions:
Greater Accra Region: R.O. Solomon (Chairman) & Hon. Gladys Norley Ashittey
Ashanti Region: Hon. Simon Osei Mensah (Chairman) & Hon. Henry Kwabena Kokofi (Secretary)
Eastern Region: Mr. Ampem Darko (Chairman) & Hon. O.B. Amoah (Secretary)
Central Region: Hon. Ofori Asiamah (Chairman) & Hon. Sara Naana Arthur (Secretary)
Upper East Region: Joseph Nyaniba Kwayaja (Chairman) & Hajia Ayishetu Yussif (Secretary)
Upper West Region: Seth Bawumia Boyoyo (Chairman) & Mujeeb Kele (Secretary)
Northern Region: Hon. Amin Anta (Chairman) & Elvis Botah (Secretary)
Oti Region: Daniel Denteh (Chairman) & Attah Anane (Secretary)
Volta Region: Kudjoh Attah (Chairman) & Richard Ahiabga (Secretary)
Western Region: Mr. A. E. Amoah (Chairman) & Hon. Kojo Acquah (Secretary)
Western North Region: Dr. Owusu Mensah (Chairman) & Kingsley Agyei Manu (Secretary)
North East Region: Emmanuel Attafuah-Danso (Chairman) & (Secretary)
Savana Region : Micheal Omari Wadie (Chairman) & Perpertual Lomokie (Secretary)
Bono Region: Kwabena Oppong (Chairman) & Sah Joachim (Secretary)
Ahafo Region: Samuel Adjei (Chairman) & William Frimpong (Secretary)
Bono East Region: Nana Obiri Boahen (Chairman) &Hon Adu Gyan (Secretary)
5) The Regional Elections Committee shall determine the Venue for the conduct of the elections.
6) Per Article 9 (25), delegates to the Regional Annual Delegates Conference shall include:
a. All Members of the regional Executive Committee
b. All Members of Parliament in the Region
c. Members of the Constituency Executive Committees
d. All Regional Representative of National Council
e. Ten (10) Members of the Council of Elders in the Region
f. One (1) TESCON member from each recognized tertiary institution in the Region
g. Ten (10) Patrons in the Region; and,
h. Any Founding Member(s) from the Region who is a signatory to the registration documents of the Party at the Electoral Commission.
7) The presence of at least one-third (1/3) of the delegates of the Constituency shall be necessary to constitute a quorum of the Conference.
8) The Regional Executives Elections shall be conducted in accordance with the following schedules:
i. Opening and Closing of Nominations – 15th – 17th May, 2022
ii. Vetting of Aspirants – 18th – 20th May, 2022
iii. Hearing of Appeals – 22nd – 23rd May, 2022
(by National Appeals Committee)
iv. Printing of Electoral Materials – 25th – 27th May, 2022
v. Elections – 27th – 29th May, 2022
- Disqualified or aggrieved Aspirants may petition the National Appeals Committee for redress from 22nd to 23rd May, 2022, whose decision shall be communicated on May 25, 2022.
- The National Appeals Committee is constituted as follows:
a. Hon. Dan Botwe – Chairman
b. Hon. Rev. S. K. Boafo – Member
c. Dr. Clifford Braimah – Member
d. Ms. Joyce Opoku Boateng – Member
e. Mr. Kwadwo Afari – Member
f. Iddi Muhayu-Deen – Member & Secretary
- Nomination Forms can be acquired from the Regional Elections Committee or downloaded from the Party’s website, (newpatrioticparty.org) and all social media accounts of the Party, for FREE. However, upon submission of completed Nomination Forms to the Elections Committee, an Applicant shall be required to pay to the Committee, a Filing Fee of Five Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHc 5,000) for the Chairperson position; and Two Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHc 2,000) for all other positions.
- A prospective Aspirant shall be a Registered Voter and a Member of the Party in the Region he/she seeks to contest.
- A prospective Aspirant shall be an active and known Member of the Party in good standing for at least two years in the Region he/she seeks to contest.
- No member of the Regional Elections Committee shall be eligible to contest in the Regional Executives Elections.
- Electoral Area Coordinators, Polling Station Executives, Constituency Executives, MMDCEs, Ministers of State, and Deputy Ministers of State, who are desirous of contesting in the Regional Elections shall first resign their positions.
- For identification purposes, delegates/voters shall use their Party Membership Identity (ID) Card, but where same is unavailable, National Voters ID will be admitted for the purpose of voting.
- The Regional Album shall be used as the register for the conduct of the elections
- Positions to be contested for include:
a. The Regional Chairperson
b. The 1st Regional Vice Chairperson
c. The 2nd Regional Vice Chairperson
d. The Regional Secretary
e. The Assistant Regional Secretary
f. The Regional Treasurer
g. The Regional Organizer
h. The Regional Women Organizer
i. The Regional Youth Organizer, and,
j. Regional Nasara Coordinator.
- Any Member of the Party or Aspirant who feels aggrieved at any point in the process SHALL exhaust ALL available internal resolution mechanisms in accordance with Article 4 of the Party Constitution and the decision of the National Appeals Committee on the matter shall be final and binding.
The Party is counting on the usual cooperation of all members in the conduct of these internal elections in the interest of the Party.
…SIGNED…
JOHN BOADU
GENERAL SECRETARY
