An aspiring National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ayikoi Otoo, has warned the rank and file of the party ahead of their constituency elections to desist from acts that will work against the party in Election 2024.
He explained that the party’s Polling Station Executives election were characterised with pocket of incidents which gave the party bad press which could affect the fortunes of the party with regards to floating and first time voters.
“As a national chairman aspirant of NPP, I have followed with keen interest fallout from the party’s internal elections for executives held throughout the country concerning Polling Stations and Electoral Area Coordinators.
“Affected candidates swearing to vote with their feet in 2024 with several appeals also being lodged before the party’s National Elections Appeals Committee set up at the headquarters, a committee I have personally served on the past and extreme cases, taken cases to court which is unfortunate and disappointing,” Mr Otoo lamented.
He stated that those who cried foul during the polling station and electoral area coordinators elections pointed to inequitable application of rules and regulations for the contest with some alleging they were denied nomination forms and filed nomination forms missing on the day of elections.
According to him, some of them were disqualified without just cause and the worst form of irregularity was selection of officers and not election of candidates. Since party politics was about numbers, everything humanly possible ought to be done to avoid members, supporters and sympathisers of the party resorting to apathy after the elections, which were unhealthy for progress, growth and development of the party.
Mr Ayikoi reiterated the need for leadership to avoid issues that would prevent the party from getting clear majority in Parliament after 2024 elections and assured of ensuring rules and regulations fashioned for purposes and implementation were applied firmly, fairly and equitably to make it possible for all those ready and willing to contest for positions in the party at all levels.
As part of my manifesto for the chairmanship bid, I promise that when elected, I will ensure inclusiveness and avoid apathy. We are now moving to elections of constituency, regional and national officers. Managers of the processes must avoid indulging in practices that will lead to politics of exclusion and apathy,” he cautioned.