The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has commenced internal investigations into the disturbances that characterised the just ended polling station executives elections which resulted in some verbal and physical attack among members in some regions.
According to the party, although it condemns the unfortunate incidences that generated tensions and panic, the National Executive is taking immediate steps to expel all persons behind the “ungodly act”.
The General Secretary of the party, Mr John Boadu, addressing a press yesterday in Accra, said, the party made adequate preparations for the exercise through the availability of nomination forms to prevent such situation from happenings.
He said, at least 25 nomination formswere sent to each polling station across the country, and that the argument of shortage of nomination forms in some areas were not true.
“In the specific case of the disturbances witnessed at Fomena including the painting of the Party Office with National Democratic Congress colours, the Party takes serious view of this gross misconduct which is not only reprehensible but an affront to the very dignity and existence of the party.
Accordingly, the party is taking immediate steps to expel all the persons behind this ungodly act from the party, of course, through due process,” Mr Boadu said.
He said the National Executives had held meetings with members of the polling station elections committee, and Members of Parliaments in constituencies where there were issues which had been brought to their attention, with a view to resolving them.
“Where it was established that members of the elections committee had not acquitted themselves as required by the rules and regulations, the party is holding them accountable, and in some cases, we have directed a complete overhaul of the committee ahead of the Electoral Area Coordinators Elections,” he said.
He said out of the 263 constituencies where polling station primaries were held, only 15 constituencies encountered worrying developments which the party would not take likely.
Mr Boadu added that the party had also given directives to the various chairpersons of all the Polling Stations and Electoral Area Coordinators’ elections committees, to submit a comprehensive report, detailing all what transpired relative to the conduct of the elections.
However, he said, electoral area coordinators elections shall be held from March 18 to March 20, 2022.
“The party, in order to increase access to nomination forms, has resolved to upload the forms for the electoral area elections on the party’s website for interested members to download for free. Forms can be downloaded via the link: newpatrioticparty.org/npp-form,” he said.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
