By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
A flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and a former Minister of Energy, Mr. Boakye Agyarko, has opted out of a planned run-off election being organised by the party hierarchy to break the tie between himself and another flagbearer aspirant, Mr. Francis Addai-Nimoh, on Saturday, September 2, 2023.
Mr. Agyarko made this known in a letter dated August 31, 2023, and addressed it to the Chairman of the NPP’s Presidential Elections Committee, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye.
“I refuse to be a part of such an act that seeks to unjustly truncate a previously agreed upon process and cannot be part of what is about to be done on Saturday, 2nd September 2023. I cannot, with a clear conscience, make such an impermissible concession to such an errant decision. I, therefore, respectfully serve this notice to refrain from such a contest. As always, I wish the party well,” a portion of his letter read.
The New Patriotic Party disclosed that a run-off will be held on Saturday, September 2, to decide the fate of Boakye Agyarko and Francis Addai-Nimoh after both presidential candidates secured nine (9) votes each in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential race organised on Saturday, August 26.
However, the National Council at a meeting held on Wednesday, 30, August 2023, agreed that only members of the New Patriotic Party’s National Council should vote in the party’s September 2 run-off between Boakye Agyarko and Francis Addai-Nimoh to decide the fate of the two flagbearer hopefuls instead of the already agreed formula, which will allow all the over 900 special delegates to vote.
According to the party, the decision is to save time and cost adding that it will be held at its headquarters at Asylum Down in Accra.
But Mr. Agyarko disagrees with the new process, insisting that it breaches the party’s constitution.
“It is totally unconstitutional that a sub-section (about 135 National Council members) of the Special Electoral College should assume the function on behalf of the 955 delegates who voted in the first round.”
“It is totally unacceptable to me that such an unconstitutional act can be perpetuated on the altar of expediency. Am I to surmise that the party did not know the cost implications? It is unconscionable that the rules of the game will be changed midstream. Rules and regulations that are flip-flopped in such a manner are only detrimental to fair play and justice. It is a clear violation of the party’s constitution and the guidelines for the Special Electoral College. It is an unconstitutional act which I cannot allow myself to be associated with,” he added.
