Ayikoi Otoo, others quit NPP race

With less than two weeks for the NPP to hold congress to elect new national executives, Joseph Nii Ayikoi Otoo, a national chairman aspirant, has withdrawn from the race.

Three others, namely Dr. Kwame Afriyie, aspiring national organiser; Akosua Serwaa Bonsu, aspirant for national women organizer; and Tumfuor Klinsman Karikari, national youth organiser aspirant, have also withdrawn from the contest.

The party’s Chair of the national elections committee, Peter Mac Manu, made the disclosure during a press conference yesterday in Accra.

According to him, the diligence of the elections committee and the preparedness of the prospective aspirants had ensured that there was no case of appeals against the nomination of any prospective aspirant.

In all, 47 aspirants are running for the national executive positions. Ten positions are up for grabs – the national chairman, first, second and third vice-chairs, general secretary, national organiser, national youth organiser, national treasurer, national women organiser and national Nasara co-ordinator.

Proxy voting

Mr Manu said all external branch delegates who are entitled to vote but are unable to travel to Ghana may vote through proxy.

“The principle, which has been adopted by the National Elections Committee in this regard, is that all persons receiving proxies must first and foremost be delegates already entitled to vote in the elections. No person who is not entitled to vote as a delegate will be entitled to exercise a proxy vote on behalf of a delegate.

“Secondly, delegates who are entitled to vote at the elections may only exercise a proxy vote on behalf of only one delegate i.e. one delegate, one proxy. Finally, the deadline for the receipt of valid Proxy vote requests was Friday July 1, 2022. No request for voting by Proxy is therefore being entertained after this date,” he explained.

Transparency

He also disclosed that the final delegates’ album would be made available to all aspirants, advising them and their respective supporters to conduct their campaigns with civility and decorum.

He further urged aspirants with concerns to contact the National Elections Committee through the Director of Elections, saying “their complaint will be acted upon expeditiously in the interest of fairness and justice”.

“Any aspirant who fails to channel their grievance through this means but rather resort to denigrating and casting aspersions at the party or any individual involved in the process within the media space will face disciplinary action in accordance with the party’s Constitution as well as the Rules and Regulations governing the conduct of the upcoming elections,” he added.

Mr Mac Manu assured the general public that the Ghana Police Service had been engaged to ensure that the upcoming elections would be smooth and peaceful.