Today, a total of 203,439 New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates are expected to exercise their voting rights in all 276 constituencies across the country to choose a flag bearer who will lead the party in the 2024 general election.
Some delegates, particularly those from diaspora branches, will cast their votes at the party headquarters in Asylum Down, Accra, which adds up to a total of 277 voting centres for the polls.
The governing NPP has four presidential aspirants who emerged from a selection process involving ten candidates through the Super Delegates Conference.
The outcome of today’s vote will determine who will be entrusted with the party’s leadership and the potential to break the pattern of no party ruling for more than eight consecutive years since the Fourth Republic began.
The four aspirants and their respective positions on the ballot are as follows: Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central, is in the first position; Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia occupies the second position on the ballot; Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, a former Minister of Food and Agriculture, is listed third on the ballot sheet; and Francis Addai-Nimoh, a former MP for Ashanti Mampong, is the fourth on the ballot.
EC/Police
The Director of Electoral Services of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, confirmed to the Daily Graphic that the electoral management body, entrusted by the party with sole responsibility for overseeing the election, is fully prepared for the polls.
All electoral materials have been dispatched to voting centres throughout the country.
During a meeting with the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Presidential Elections Committee (PEC) and representatives of the presidential aspirants a week ago, the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, provided assurance of a robust police presence during the election.
He affirmed the police force’s commitment to fulfilling its role in both internal party and national elections, contributing to the advancement of the nation’s democracy.
“All we require from you is that you support us in order to play our roles, and with that, we will be able to ensure that the police and the EC will do their work, all the people who will be voting across the country will come out freely and willingly to vote and all the agents will do what they are supposed to do,” he said.
PEC
The Prof. Mike Oquaye-chaired PEC, tasked with conducting the presidential primary of the party, has reiterated its commitment to ensure a transparent, free and fair election.
The guidelines issued by the party directed that there would be no congregation on the day of voting; hence, no provision would be made to address delegates or the public by any national, regional or constituency executives, contestants or their representatives or any government official on the day of the voting.
It said no government official or any delegate listed to vote in the election could serve as an agent.
Those banned from serving as polling agents for the aspirants are metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives, ministers and their deputies, MPs, chief executive officers of state-owned enterprises, managing directors of government institutions, national, regional, constituency, electoral area coordinators and polling station executives.
Voting
It stated that voting would take place in an open place in the full glare of the public.
“Any person found directing a delegate on which contestant to vote commits an offence and shall be removed by the police,” the guidelines said.
It said the EC and the police “shall enforce and adhere to restricting delegates from taking their phones and other electronic photographic gadgets to the voting scene”, and that any vote that had been shown to the public would be nullified.
“The police has also been directed to deny and arrest influencers,’machomen’, and undesignated persons,” it added.
The guidelines also directed presiding officers not to call out the names of delegates in the queue to vote, adding that individuals would walk to the officials and they would be assisted to vote accordingly.
Other measures
The NPP General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, at a meeting with the four aspirants and leaders of the party in Accra last Thursday, also announced that because the constituency council of elders and the constituency council of patrons were not part of the electoral college, the PEC had decided to make the chairmen of the two organs oversee the constituency elections.
“They are the ones to supervise the elections at the constituency, and no officer of the party, be it constituency officer or regional officer, will have any power to interfere in the work of this committee. The police, the EC and the aspirants will be dealing directly with this committee,” he added.
He said suspended members of the party, whose cases had not been dealt with by the disciplinary committee, would be allowed to vote.
However, if the committee had recommended sanctions and upheld them, the person would not be allowed to vote.
He announced that all members of the party, whether they had paid up their dues fully or not, must be allowed to cast their ballot.
The writer is Executive Director.
Centre for Communication and Culture
Stay tuned to our live updates page for ongoing coverage of the election.