Former Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Maxwell Kofi Jumah has taken on his party for barring Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) from running for parliamentary elections unless they resign three years to the primaries.

He observed that the condition is too harsh an appealed to the party’s hierarchy to consider reducing the period in order to allow for MMDCEs or party executives who may wish to contest the incumbent lawmakers to do so.

Acting General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu last week at a press conference communicated that the public that per the decision of the National Council of the party restricting MMDCEs and party executives who will want to contest parliamentary primaries not to do so unless they first resign their positions three years to the time.

But the former Asokwa Lawamker disagreed with the decision on Accra-based Okay Fm.

“I was there when the law was passed but I think they need to do something about it. They can reduce the period to one and half years or less so that other aspirants do not feel marginalized”, he explained on Okay Fm.

In John Boadu’s interaction with the press, he revealed that the directive is binding on regional chairpersons, regional secretaries, regional treasurers, constituency chairpersons, constituency secretaries and constituency treasurers.

“The National Council which is the second highest decision making body pursuant to Article 9(b) of the party’s constitution took the unanimous decision”.

Mr John Boadu also outdoored the party’s timetable for its polling stations, constituencies, regional and national elections which all come off in 2018.

Read full address below;

November 29, 2017

PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY JOHN BOADU, THE ACTING GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE NPP ON RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE PARTY’S NATIONAL COUNCIL AND RELATED MATTERS

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen of the media

We have invited you here primarily to officially communicate the decisions taken by the party’s National Council at its 5th general meeting held on Tuesday, November 8, 2017 at the M-Plaza hotel. But before that, the party has learnt with shock the demise of our Volta Regional communication director, Efo Philipo, who passed on to glory this morning and accordingly wish to extend our deepest condolence to the bereaved family, friends and the party in the region. We shall provide them with the needed support in this trying moment.

This meeting of the national council had in attendance, His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo, H.E. Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, H.E. former President John Agyekum Kufour, the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief of Staff, Members of the party’s Council of Elders, National Executive Officers, former national executives, representatives of the parliamentary group, all regional chairperson and secretaries and other members of the council as provided for under Article 9(b) of our party constitution.

The National Council, which is the party’s Second Highest decision making body pursuant to Article 9(b) of the party constitution has unanimously resolved that all persons serving as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) who wish to contest as Parliamentary Candidates in constituencies where the party has sitting MPs, are NOT ELIGIBLE to contest unless they resign from their current positions at least three years before the ensuing NATIONAL GENERAL ELECTIONS.

The Council also resolved that regional chairpersons, regional secretaries, regional treasurers, constituency chairpersons, constituency secretaries and constituency treasurers are NOT ELIGIBLE to contest as Parliamentary Candidates in constituencies where the party has sitting MPs unless they resign at least three years before the NATIONAL GENERAL ELECTIONS. The Council adopted these resolutions upon conviction that these decisions are in the best interest of the party and government.

For emphasis, these decisions ONLY APPLY to constituencies where the party has sitting Members of Parliament and DOES NOT APPLY to orphan constituencies (i.e. constituencies where the party does not have sitting Members of Parliament).

As part of this resolution, council has directed all the 10 regional executive committees to organize an expanded regional executive committee meetings comprising constituency executives to brief them on key amendment proposals that would be considered for adoption at the extraordinary conference.

Also, National Council passed a resolution to EXTEND THE MANDATE OF ALL SERVING OFFICERS of the party at each level by three months following the expiration of their four year mandate to allow for primaries to be conducted.

National Council at this meeting, also adopted the report of the ad-hoc committee set up to review and streamline the proposals for amendments to the party constitution subject to approval and final adoption by national conference.

The NPP would hold an extraordinary national delegates’ conference pursuant to Article 9 (A)(5) of the party constitution, on Sunday, 17th December, 2017 in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital, as communicated in a notice issued by the general secretary on November 18. This conference is being held primarily to consider and adopt the proposed amendments to the party constitution.

The Council also approved the calendar for programmes and activities of the party presented by the National Secretariat between November 2017 and June 2018, which has been spelt out as follows:

7th December, 2017 – Interdenominational Service for peaceful elections and to mark the 1st Anniversary of NPP victory

17th December, 2017 – Extraordinary National Delegates Conference

31st December, 2017 – Deadline for updating membership register in preparations towards the upcoming primaries (This includes that of External Branches)

3rd January, 2018 – National Steering Committee meeting and submission of rules and regulations for all internal primaries to National Steering Committee

9th January, 2018 – National Council meeting to affirm the rules governing party primaries

17th to 21st January, 2018 – Polling Station Elections in all the 29,000+ Polling Stations across the country

26th to 29th January, 2018 – Elections of Electoral Area Coordinators

7th February, 2018 – National Steering Committee meeting

8th to 10th February, 2018 ¬– Completion of the compilation of Polling Station and Electoral Area Registers of all Elected Officers

21st to 24th February, 2018 – Constituency Annual Delegates Conference to elect Constituency Executives

5th to 25th February, 2018 ¬– Chapter Elections for all External Branches

18th to 30th March, 2018 – Elections of External Branch Executives

24th March, 2018 – Completion of the compilation of the Registers for all Constituency Officers (Elected and Appointed) including Disciplinary Committee members, Finance Committee members, 5 members each from Council of Elders and Council of Patrons

4th April, 2018 – National Steering Committee meeting

6th April, 2018 – National Council meeting

21st to 24th April, 2018 – Regional Annual Delegates Conference to elect Regional Executives

19th May, 2018 – Completion of all Delegates Album (Register) in preparation for national primaries

5th to 17th June, 2018 – National Annual Delegates Conference to elect National Officers [Venue to be determined by National Council at a later date]

In conclusion, the party fervently anticipates the full cooperation of all members in order to make the upcoming extraordinary national delegates conference and the internal primaries, a success.

Thank you.

…Signed…

JOHN BOADU

General Secretary (Ag)