NPP won’t be biased in selection of parliamentary candidates – Obiri Boahen

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will not be engaged in biased selection of parliamentary candidates in the lead up to its parliamentary primaries in September.

This is according to the Deputy General Secretary of the party, Nana Obiri Boahen.

He explained that the process will not be fraught with challenges as experienced by the NDC in Asawase where supporters of Mubarick Masawudu, one of the aspirants in the parliamentary primaries staged a protest at the NDC regional office in Kumasi last week.

In an interview with Citi News on the opening of nomination process for parliamentary aspirants, Nana Obiri Boahen cautioned party executives against hampering the election process.

“I impress upon them that the process is geared towards the election and not selection and therefore the impression should not be created that they are solidly behind one candidate.”

“When I hear what is going on at Asawase and Kumasi, it is a clear indication that we will not go to that extent at all. That is a clear manifestation of selection and not election. I made them understand that under no circumstance should the New Patriotic Party exhibit that kind of conduct exhibited by the NDC in Asawase and Asunafo South.”

The NPP has settled on September 28 to either select or elect parliamentary candidates for the 2020 general election in constituencies where the party does not have a sitting Member of Parliament (MP).

However, primaries for constituencies where the party has sitting MPs have been deferred to a later date.

These decisions were arrived at by the party's National Executive Committee (NEC), pursuant to Article 12 of the NPP's constitution, at a meeting held on Monday.

The National Council, which also met after the NEC conference, decided to hold presidential primaries sometime early next year, in line with Article 13 of the party's constitution.

The meetings were attended by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, NPP national chairman Freddie Blay, and members of the NEC and National Council.

Members tasked the National Steering Committee to come out with guidelines and modalities for the conduct of both the parliamentary and presidential primaries towards the 2020 general election.