The main contender in the NPP Germany chairmanship race, Rebecca Aboagye Sarpong after the closely contested election held in Dusseldorf on 17th March 2018 refused to accept the results declared by the electoral commission.

Mrs Sarpong petitioned the National Headquarters of the party to express her displeasure in the electoral process and outcome of the election, hence called for a re-run of the Chairmanship position election.

The National Executive Committee of the New Patriotic Party accordingly held a meeting to look into the issues raised by Rebecca Aboagye Sarpong (popularly known as “Obaatanpa”) which included over voting, impersonation and proxy voting.

After conducting an investigation into the issues raised, NEC in letter signed by Ag. General Secretary, John Boadu and dated 3rd April 2018 listed their findings as follows;

1. That all the candidates signed to abide by the rules and Regulations governing the conduct of the Branch Election;

2. That the total number of Delegates numbered 333.

3. That the delegates were called in a very transparent manner i.e. Chapter-by-Chapter to cast their votes;

4. That no candidate contested the counting and declaration of the results of the election until that of the Chairperson position.

5. That the Branch Elections Committee members, namely Oheneba Oduro-Opuni, Baffour Amo and Mary Posch-Oduro admits that there was an error in ticking the names of 2 delegates who cast their votes; and,

6. That there was NO Over-voting in the conduct and pronouncement of the results for the Chairperson position.

The report shows that the results of each of three (3) positions i.e. Chairperson, Secretary and Women Organizer had total vote cast as 232. Interestingly, the Treasurer position had a total vote cast of 230 while that of the Youth Organizer and Organizer positions had a total vote cast of 228.

“In view of the above, I will want to say empathically that the party has no objection in upholding the verdict of the election Committee. I wish you better luck in your future endeavours,” the letter read.

Similarly, the NPP Germany Branch upon the petition of Rebacca Aboagye Sarpong, set up a three-member election Petition Committee (PC) and was given up to three (3) weeks to investigate the matters raised in the petition and come out with their findings.

The PC’s findings were in affirmative to that of the NEC.

“Elections are won only at the polling station. Branch elections held in Düsseldorf on the 17.03.2018 could not have been anything different. And no election has been perfect! The Branch elections could not have been different. No doubt, there were some commissions and omissions. But one could not easily lay the blame on one candidate or the other, let alone the EC.

After very serious interrogation of the petition, the PC is convinced beyond any iota of doubt and attests hereby to the fact that the pillars of the petition are very weak. The petition does not hold much water so as to cause the annulment of the election and to offset a rerun of the Chairpersons’ position.

The PC therefore rejects the petition to nullify the results and re-run the elections of the Chairperson’s position as tended in by Mrs. Rebecca Agyei Sarpong, former 2nd Vice Chairperson of the Branch, and recommends same to the National Council (NC) through the 1st Vice Chairman and Acting Chairman, Mr. Charles Gyimah”.

Rev Alex Acheampong is waiting to be sworn-in as Chairman of the party.