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Electoral Reform To Quench Dissipating Factionalism In NPP

By Safe Democracy Mother Ghana
Press Release Electoral Reform To Quench Dissipating Factionalism In NPP
SEP 1, 2014 LISTEN

Dear General Secretary,

Electoral Reform To Quench Dissipating Factionalism In NPP

We are most happy to write to you and to wish you success in the imminent delegates' conference election.

The current mishap in your Great Party is just one of the problems Safe Democracy has long identified as a problem associated with electoral system where political parties elect among themselves members to occupy some selected offices within the party for national purposes on the basis of 50% majority win or on the basis of simple majority leaving the other losing candidates (members) to fend for themselves. It is a bad arrangement and it sows bitterness, frustrations, enmity and vendetta among a household of the same kind in the name of competitive election to serve the party.

(iii) Where a contestant obtains more than fifty percent (50%) of votes cast, he or she shall be the Party's Presidential Candidates.

(iv) where, however , no candidate obtains more than 50% of the vote cast, there shall be a run-off between the first two contestants and the contestant with the simple majority shall be the Party's Presidential Candidates.

(v) In the event of a tie between the two contestants, the run-off will continue until one contestant obtains a simple majority.

Unfortunately it is the very much the unwittingly, unintended unforeseen scenario created by the framers of the NPP constitution where antagonism is so much exhibited and ethnicity given a chance to peddle in a constitutionally mandated institution. Article 12 of the NPP constitution must succinctly be reviewed as soon as possible to cure the filth of factionalism in a great party like the NPP.

Knowing the weight, grand value and power the position of the presidential candidate and the vice presidential candidate entails within a given political party, prospective president and vice president of this republic, it becomes so necessary and apt to regulate the electoral system using single transferable vote system to elect these two marvelous candidates by the entire electors other than giving the elected presidential candidate the prerogative right to elect his running mate in consultation with the National Council. The election of the vice president should not be at the pleasure of the wining presidential candidate nor the National council as stated in Article 12b of the NPP amended constitution.

Considering the grand value the 1992 republican constitution attaches to the office of the vice president, it would be prudent that candidates to such offices are elected by the electors who elect the presidential candidate. The electors must concurrently elect the vice president as well.

“Article 57(2) 1992, “The President shall take precedence over all other persons in Ghana; and in descending order, the Vice-President, the Speaker of Parliament and the Chief Justice, shall take precedence over all other persons in Ghana.”

“Article 60 (6) 1992 whenever the President dies, resigns or is removed from office, the Vice-President shall assume office as President for the unexpired term of office of the President with effect from the date of the death, resignation or removal of the President.”

It therefore becomes a contractual obligation on electors who elect the presidential candidate to give value to the office of the vice president and elect his/her running mate

Article 12b “Selection of the Vice Presidential Candidate

The Party's Presidential Candidate shall, in consultation with the National Council, nominate the vice Presidential Candidate.

The Vice Presidential Candidate shall be a known and active Member of at least five (5) years and shall be nominated by the Presidential Candidate at least twelve (12) months before the general elections when the party is not in government or the sitting President is not the candidate. The National Council may however dispense with the requirement under special circumstances.”

Method used in Article 9 E of the NPP constitution where the vice chairpersons got elected on the value of votes received respectively could also be considered.

1) There shall be three (3) National vice chairpersons ranked first, second and their, according to the number of votes received at the election at the National Annual Delegates Conference. The 1st National Vice Chairperson, being the most senior, shall act for the National Chairperson in his or her absence, and the others in descending order as the occasion may require.

The National Vice-Chairperson shall assist the National Chairperson in the running of the Party and shall be assigned such duties as may be prescribed by the National Council, the National Executive Committee and the National Chairperson.

We should note that though methodologies may defer, the primary motive of a political party to champion an ideology they believe in does not change nor defer regardless of who is elected the standard bearer or his mate. Whoever becomes the president or the vice president has the same ideological imprint in him or her and shall be guided by the principles of the political party for which they belong to.

The electoral system provided by the framers of a political party constitution in the election of some key positions within the family of one ideology should defer from the position of a national constitution where political parties are formed on the bases of multi faceted political ideologies on the bases of which electorates shall consider to give them their votes.

Safe Democracy recommends a review Article 12 clause 6a (iii, IV, V) and 6b of the NPP amended constitution dated on 22nd day of August 2009 for the election of presidential candidates and apply a preferential voting system into electing the president and his vice respectively using single transferable voting system as is used into electing the national vice chairpersons.

Before the emergence of political party system in the United States, the Electoral College elected the president and the vice president using preferential voting system wherefore the candidate who won the most valid votes cast becomes the president of the United States and the first runner up becomes the vice president.

As we continue to be abreast with occurrences in NPP as a political party and Ghana as whole a democratic state, we shall continue to be in touch.

Thank you very sincerely
Faithfully yours

Munir Saani
Executive Secretary
Safe Democracy
CC;- media

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