The New Patriotic Party says it will be compelled to invoke its special congress clause if the number of nominations for the flagbearership position exceeds five candidates.
Per the revised constitution of the party, only five (5) candidates will be allowed to contest the flag bearer slot of the party, a disconnect from the 2007 congress where seventeen (17) candidates contested.
The amended constitution of the party has it that if more than five candidates file and are vetted to contest, a special electoral college of some 847 party executives including all 275 constituency chairmen and all NPP MPs would have to vote to reduce the number to five.
As it stands however, six candidates have picked files for the race.
Last week, leading contender and two time presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, together with others such as Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Mr. Asamoah Boateng, Kofi Osei Ameyaw and Addai Nimoh, MP for Mampong, picked their nominations forms at the party’s headquarters to contest for the position.
Another leading contender, Mr. Alan Kyerematen is also expected to pick his nomination forms in due course, bringing the number to more than the five cut off point as provided in the Constitution of the party.
There are still bound to be surprises as some big names tipped for the race have not put in their bid especially as there still remain some weeks for them to do so.
Already six out of the ten regional chairmen of the party are calling for an early congress.
An executive member and Youth organizer of the party, Sammy Awuku tells ultimate radio the party is waiting for the candidates to officially file their nominations before any decision for special congress could be reached.
“As at close of day Monday, six people had picked up forms. However, the fact that the person has picked up forms does not mean the person will automatically contest. We are waiting to see if they all return their forms or more people start picking more forms and then we will be working with the actual figures and not speculations,” he pointed out.
Mr. Awuku however added, “as we speak now no one has returned his forms and on paper six persons now have picked forms.
“However if at the end of the period, more than five people return their nominations, the party will have no choice than to invoke its special congress clause,” he emphasized.
Commenting on calls for an early congress, Mr. Awuku stated that it only lies within the remit of the national council of the party to vary the tentative December 6th Date for the contest.
He urged that the regional chairmen who made the call rather make their case to the national council of the party for consideration.
Source: GhanaWeb
