NPP conducts regional executive elections in BA despite EC boycott

0
34
Advertisement

Executives of the New Patriotic Party in the Brong Ahafo Region on Sunday proceeded to hold regional executive elections for the party despite an injunction that caused the Electoral Commission to boycott the conduct and supervision of the elections. A member of the party last Friday filed an application seeking to injunct Sunday’s regional executive elections on grounds that Atebubu-Amantin constituency currently have no constituency executives to be part of this current elections. The said application that is to be heard on May 10 has since been served on the EC and the NPP, a situation that compelled the EC to stay away from the conduct and supervision of Sunday’s election. When polls opened Sunday, the officials of the EC were absent. Delegates waited till 12 midday and still officials of the EC had not shown up for the conduct and supervision of the elections. News of the move to stop the election per the injunction application did not sit well with the regional delegates who gathered at the Catholic Pastoral School in Sunyani. Delegates and persons contesting for various executive positions within the party at the regional level chanted, “We shall vote”, TV3’s correspondent Larry Paa Kwesi Moses reported. The situation prompted the party elders and leadership to go into emergency consultation to resolve the issue. Alfred Tua-Yeboah, a former regional Ghana Bar Association President who is a leading member of the party, spearheaded the resolution of the matter. A decision was subsequently taken for a committee to be formed, which was done immediately for voting to commence. The Committee had to improvise by using paper and plastic boxes as ballot boxes. However, because they anticipated the situation, they procured ballot papers independent of the EC’s. One party leader who spoke to TV3 on condition of anonymity justified the decision to go ahead with the elections despite the filing of the injunction application. He argued that the injunction was yet to be heard by the court to determine whether it should be granted or not He said the party intends to negotiate for the court injunction to be withdrawn for an amicable settlement. With the exception of one unopposed candidate nine positions are being contested for. About 600 delegates from the 29 constituencies are voting in the elections. Deputy General Secretary, Nana Obiri Boahen, said steps would be taken to enforce party unity. He pledged his commitment to defend party members who may genuinely fall foul of the law but will distance himself from any group of people whose conduct may tarnish the image of the party. By 3news.com|Ghana]]>