The Electoral Commission (EC) and the Ghana Police Service have advised candidates aspiring for national executives’ positions in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to comply with electoral laws of the country.
Top officials of the EC and the police election committee gave the advice last week when they met with all the candidates and the party’s election committee chaired by a former Chairman of the NPP, Peter Mac Manu.
The NPP is expected to hold its National Delegates Conference to elect its national officers from, Friday, July 15 to Sunday, July 17, 2022 at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Last week’s meeting with the EC and the police was part of activities by the party towards the delegates’ conference.
The Director of Electoral Services of the EC, Dr Serebuor Quarcoo, who was part of the EC officials at the meeting, told the Daily Graphic that elections are governed by laws and therefore it is imperative that the candidates, and especially their followers obey those laws.
At the meeting, the EC took the candidates and the election committee through the modalities of the elections and the processes they would entail.
Dr Quarcoo, explained that the EC would set up 26 polling stations and is hoping to conduct the whole elections within five hours.
Again, he said the EC is currently training its officers for the elections to ensure that the it conducts its mandate of supervising the elections effectively.
The Director of Elections of the NPP, Evans Nimako, said the meeting was a platform for the all stakeholders in the elections – the candidates, the planning committee, the EC and the security agencies to meet and ensure that the elections are successfully conducted.
Meanwhile, the National Council of the NPP has ordered the removal of all billboards in public space by the candidates.
A statement dated July 7, this year, and signed by the Director of Communications of the party, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, said the removal of the billboards is part of additional rules set by the party for the conduct of the elections.
Other new rules include a complete ban on excessive noise making such as brass band during the delegates’ conference, ban on the mobilisation of supporters of the candidates to the conference, and a ban on the display of any paraphernalia of the candidates at the Accra Sports Stadium, the venue of the conference.
There shall be strict enforcement of security protocols. To this end, only delegates and accredited persons would be allowed access to the venue.
The NPP has directed all candidates for various national executive positions to end campaigns 24 hours before the start of elections on Saturday, July 16.
This according to the party is part of measures to ensure discipline in the internal reorganization process.