Party to extend deadline in troubled constituencies

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) says it will examine various petitions it has received in some constituencies over the conduct of the Party’s Polling Station elections and consider deadline extension where necessary.

The Party said it would extend the deadline for the election of polling station officers for the affected constituencies if the issues raised in the petition warrant an extension in the interest of the Party.

Per the Party’s guidelines, the polling station elections, which commenced on February 19, 2022, in more than 38,000 polling stations nationwide, will end on today, March 5, 2022.

Mr Evans Nimako, Director of Research and Elections, NPP, told the Ghana News Agency that leadership of the Party had received petitions from “a few” constituencies, including Bantama, Keta, Ejisu, Mampong, and Kwadaso.

He said the petitions largely bothered on procurement of forms and vetting related issues.

“So far, the elections have been successful. There are a few places of disagreement. However, leadership has taken steps to get those issues resolved.

“It expected that when the process ends tomorrow and there are any other areas where there has to be some extension, leadership will take the decision,” he said.

Mr Nimako further explained that: “Except where petitions have been submitted, and when considerations are given, and leadership feels that there has to be an extension, that would be given.”

The NPP’s Polling Station election recorded pockets of disturbances in some constituencies including, Manhyia, Kade, and Ningo Prampram over the sale of nomination forms.

The Party explained that the issues encountered with the sale of forms were largely as a result of the operational arrangements put in place by the election committees that supervised the elections.

The Party subsequently extended the deadline for filing of nominations forms from February 21, 2022 to February 22, 2022.

The Party also placed the election in some constituencies, including Techiman South, Akwatia, Savelugu, Jomoro, Assin North on hold due to “some internal arrangements.”

Mr Nimako said the Techiman South constituency “will very soon” conduct its internal arrangement to elect officers for the Party.

“When leadership is certain, directive will be given for them to go ahead with the conduct of their elections,” he said.

The NPP, on Friday, January 28, 2022, issued guidelines to guide its internal elections at all levels this year.

The electoral area elections will be held from March 18 to March 20, 2022, followed by constituency elections to be held between April 22 and April 24, 2022.

The regional executive elections will be held between May 20 and May 22, 2022.

The National Executive elections and the Annual National Delegates Conference is slated for July 14 to July 16, 2022.