NPP Announces Additional Parliamentary Primaries Protocols For Orphan Constituencies

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced additional protocols governing the conduct of the parliamentary primaries for orphan constituencies, scheduled to take place on Saturday, December 2, 2023.

These protocols have been formulated to ensure the integrity and fairness of the electoral process, the party said.

“To maintain uniformity and consistency, we recommend that constituency parliamentary election committees use the same venues that were used for the recently ended presidential election. Constituency Executive Committees are advised to engage in discussions with their respective Regional Executive Committees should a change of venue be necessary. Regional Executive Committees are kindly requested to promptly notify the National Party of any such changes latest by Monday, November 27, 2023,” the statement said.

For clarity, the Constituency Parliamentary Elections Committee (CPEC) shall comprise the following members:

1. Chairperson of the Constituency Council of Elders as Chair;
2. Constituency Chairperson;
3. Constituency Secretary, who shall be the Secretary to the Committee;
4. An elderly woman in the constituency appointed by the Constituency Executive Committee
5. Constituency Research and Elections Officer

In cases where the Constituency Chairperson is a contestant, the First Vice Chairman will assume the role on the committee. Similarly, if the secretary is a contestant, the Assistant Secretary will undertake the responsibilities.

It is important to note the following:

1. The Electoral Commission of Ghana shall supervise the conduct of the elections and shall have the full responsibility of ensuring a transparent, free, and fair election. No person, whether a government appointee, party official, or otherwise, shall act in contravention of the Electoral Commission and these guidelines.
2. Security activities rest exclusively with the Ghana Police Service, and access beyond security perimeters is restricted to delegates, the Constituency Parliamentary Elections Committee (CPEC), contestants, and their accredited agents.
3. The Constituency Parliamentary Elections Committee (CPEC) of the Party is the entity with the mandate from the National Executive Committee (NEC) to oversee the organisation and conduct of the election of the Orphan Parliamentary Primaries. All issues concerning the conduct of the primaries must be referred to them.
4. In effect, there shall be one voting centre in each constituency capital nationwide.
5. There will be no congregation on the day of voting. Therefore, there shall be no provision to address delegates or the public by any national party executive, any government official, a regional party executive, constituency executives, contestants, or their representatives on the day of the voting. 6. There shall be no campaign, canvassing for votes, or gathering of party members for any purpose whatsoever a day before voting.
6. Voters are expected to “walk-in” freely by themselves. No delegate shall be escorted to the voting screen except those with mobility issues and with Electoral Commission consent.
7. A voter must wait to be cleared before entering the perimeter of queue control. 9. There shall be no CAMPING OF DELEGATES.
8. No voter shall wear the colour or effigy of a contestant at the voting centre (i.c., T-shirts, caps, or posters of contestants).

11. Delegates shall not be allowed to enter the voting screen or booth in groups or in pairs.

12. Voting shall not take place indoors but in an open place in the full glare of the public. It is an offence for unaccredited persons to enter the voting perimeter.
13. A delegate who has already cast his or her vote shall not be re-admitted into the voting perimeter.
14. Any person found directing a delegate on which contestant to vote commits an offence and shall be removed by the police.

15. ALL VOTERS SHALL LEAVE THE DEMARCATED VOTING PERIMETERS IMMEDIATELY AFTER VOTING.

16. The Electoral Commission and the Police shall enforce and adhere to restricting delegates from taking their phones and other photographic gadgets to the voting screen.

17. Any vote that has been shown to the public shall be nullified.

18. The Electoral Commission and the Police shall deny influencers, “Machomen,” and undesignated persons access to the voting centers. All such persons shall be arrested.

19. The electoral voting shall be by walk-in standard practice; the individual shall approach the polling area and vote secretly.

20. Presiding officers shall not call out the names of delegates in the queue to

vote.

21. Individuals will walk to the officials, and they will be assisted to vote accordingly.

22. Presiding officers shall issue ballots to one delegate at a time. For the sake of emphasis, presiding officers shall not issue ballots to people in pairs or groups of persons.

23. Ballot papers should not be torn from any booklet in advance.