General News of Tuesday, 16 June 2020

Source: GNA

Accept results in the interest of NPP - Odarley France urges candidates

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Aspiring parliamentary candidates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and their supporters have been advised to accept the outcome of the upcoming primaries in the interest of the party.

Mr Dan Nii Odarley France, Greater Accra Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, also cautioned supporters to maintain discipline after the contest and unite like a family with a common agenda.

“Comport yourself and follow all the rules of the elections. Do not love an aspirant more than yourself. This must not divide the party. It is just a contest if you lose today it is not the end of the world you can contest the next time,” he said.

“By the ‘close’ Saturday there will be winners and losers. What we all need to understand is that despite the divergence of ideas, we are all working in the interest of the party. Personally I lost a number of times before securing this position. We are one family so we need to work together at all times,” he said.

Mr Odarley France said that it was only through togetherness and intensive campaigns that the re-election of the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo would occur for the NPP to continue its development agenda.

Speaking on primaries to be held at 20 constituencies in the Greater Accra Region, Mr Odarley France said, bearing in mind the COVID-19 pandemic precautionary protocols by the state, the constituencies have been decentralized to ensure that not more than 100 delegates congregated to vote.

Using Ablekuma Central as an instance, he said, the constituency had seven polling stations but due to decentralization, the number would be increased to 10 stations.

Mr Odarley France said the party has put in place measures to ensure that all the protocols are observed to keep voters safe, adding that both the party and aspirants had enough personal protective equipment for the elections.

Regarding hotspots in the region, he said, the party was liaising with the security agencies to provide adequate security at all about three constituencies including Dome-Kwabenya and Ablekuma North to maintain peace and order.

The party, he said, had a committee working assiduously to protect and promote the welfare of sitting Members of Parliament, women aspirants as well as encouraging youth participation.