NPP Polls: Forgiving & forgetting 'unpalatable abuses' in losing an election isn't easy but... - Hackman

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Chairman of the Council of Elders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Hackman Owusu-Agyemang has told all the aspirants not to act in ways that will weaken the party if they lose the flagbearer elections.

He said that forgiving and forgetting the most unpalatable abuses in losing an election is not always easy but that is the nature of elections.

Mr Owusu-Agyemang who is also a former Member of Parliament for New Juabeng said these during a meeting President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and other leaders of the NPP had with the flagbearer aspirants on Thursday, November 2 ahead of the internal elections.

The meeting was also attended by the National Chair of the NPP, Stephen Ntim, General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong.

Former President John Agyekum Kuffuor joined via Zoom.

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Assin Central Member of Parliament Kennedy Agyapong and Former Member of Parliament for Mampong Francis Addai-Nimoh and Forner Agric Minister Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto all attended the meeting.

Mr Hackman Owusu Agyemang said “I am very much aware that forgiving and forgetting the most unpalatable abuses in losing an election is not always easy, there may be further ridicules and challenges along the way.

“This is the nature of all elections but we shouldn’t allow the severest pain to break us, this is the only way our party can remain relevant in this changing political landscape.

“We should remember that November 4 will come and go and remain only as a memory but the NPP, if we do not allow our action to destroy will exist for long time to come.”

The NPP will be going for the flagbearer elections on Saturday, November 4.

The Presidential Elections Committee released the guidelines for the primaries that will take place at all the 276 constituencies across the country and the Party Headquarters, Asylum Down, Accra.

In a statement, the committee said the guidelines outlined the procedures and rules for the primaries that would elect a presidential candidate for the 2024 general election.

“The Electoral Commission (EC) shall supervise the conduct of the elections and shall have the full responsibility of ensuring a transparent, free and fair election.

No persons, whether party officials or otherwise whatsoever shall act in contravention to the EC and these guidelines.”

The Committee added that “the security activities rest exclusively with the police and access beyond security perimeters is restricted to Delegates, Presidential Elections Committee Members, Contestants and their accredited agents.

The Presidential Elections Committee of the Party is the entity with the Constitutional mandate from the National Council to oversee the organization and conduct of the election for the Presidential Candidate.”

The committee also said that there shall be no campaign, canvassing for votes or gathering of party people for any purpose whatsoever a day before voting, adding that there shall be no camping of delegates, accreditation is constituency specific and that the media will be granted accreditation.

“Voters are expected to “walk in” freely by themselves.

Any person found directing a delegate on which contestant to vote for commits an offence and shall be removed by the police,” the committee stated.