A Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen, has condemned party executives who he says are deliberately preventing members from picking nomination forms for the party’s upcoming parliamentary primaries.
The primaries are scheduled for April, but some aspirants seeking to pick nomination forms have complained that they have allegedly been prevented from doing so.
In an interview with Citi News, Nana Obiri Boahen said such reports are “serious and unacceptable.”
“I don’t see how people should deny other aspirants the opportunity of getting the forms. I am being honestly blunt about this matter. I don’t see how people should intentionally deny others from getting the forms.”
Mr. Obri Boahen noted that he had been overseeing the filing process in the Eastern Region and the Greater Accra Region, where he had been made aware of such complaints.
“As far as the Eastern Region is concerned, I don’t think I have received any complaints. But, I have received complaints from some parts of the Greater Accra. I am not comfortable with the state of affairs at all,” he said.
Mr. Obri Boahen further reiterated words of caution from former President John Kufuor on the matter.
“Former President Kufuor said that this conduct is alien to our tradition. I don’t think we have a single individual who is above the NPP.”
Francis Addai-Nimoh struggles to pick nomination forms
Last month, former Member of Parliament for Mampong Constituency, Francis Addai-Nimoh expressed his unhappiness over attempts to prevent him from purchasing nomination forms to contest in the NPP parliamentary primaries.
In a letter of appeal addressed to the party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako and copied to the NPP Regional Secretary, he said several attempts to get the forms had failed.
“I wish to appeal to be permitted to purchase a copy of the 2020 parliamentary primaries nomination forms at the Regional Secretariat. This appeal has become necessary because I am being denied access and obstructed to purchase the said forms at the Mampong Constituency Level of the party,” portions of his appeal letter said.
Albert Kan Dapaah Jnr. struggles to pick nomination forms
Also, supporters of Albert Kan Dapaah Jnr, a parliamentary aspirant seeking to contest in the Party’s upcoming primary in the Ablekuma West Constituency, were stranded at the party’s constituency office on 27th January, 2020 when they tried to pick up nomination forms for their preferred candidate. This was because the constituency chairman was not around.
The supporters claimed that the absence of the constituency chairman was part of a scheme to ensure that the incumbent Member of Parliament for the area, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, goes unopposed in the upcoming primary.
A non-refundable nomination fee for aspirants has been pegged at GHc20,000 whilst the filing fee is GHc200,000.
The party will also be electing the remaining Parliamentary candidates on the same day.
by Nerteley Nettey
