Ahead of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries in 2019, the party has issued a directive to all prospective MP aspirants to stop campaigning.

The party said parliamentary aspirants can only canvass for votes at a time the party approves, but until then, all campaigns in that regard should cease.

The General Secretary John Boadu said in a statement on Monday, November 12, 2018 said the "caution has become necessary following complaints the party has been receiving about the conduct of some prospective parliamentary aspirants who are overtly and covertly campaigning to delegates ahead of the opening of nominations."

The statement added: "The conduct of these persons does not only flout the party’s internal regulations but also undermines the very structures of the party, particularly at the constituency levels and regional levels."

It noted that parliamentary aspirant who fails to abide by the rules of engagement will be disqualified.

Read the full statement below:

NPP CAUTIONS PROSPECTIVE PARLIAMENTARY ASPIRANTS TO DESIST FROM CAMPAIGNING AHEAD OF THE OPENING OF NOMINATIONS

The NPP wishes to caution individual members of the party who are nursing ambitions to contest in the party’s 2019 parliamentary primaries to DESIST from campaigning as the party is yet to open nominations and set out the guidelines for the primaries.

This caution has become necessary following complaints the party has been receiving about the conduct of some prospective parliamentary aspirants who are overtly and covertly campaigning to delegates ahead of the opening of nominations.

The conduct of these persons does not only flout the party’s internal regulations but also undermines the very structures of the party particularly at the constituency levels and regional levels. They are reminded that the party reserves the right to DISQUALIFY any parliamentary aspirant who fails to abide by the rules of engagement. The NPP is a discipline party and as such, everything is expected to be done in accordance with rules and regulations.

The party also wishes to use this opportunity to make the point that for each of the 275 Constituencies, the Album that was used to elect the current Constituency Executives at the 2018 Constituency Annual Delegates Conference SHALL be the same Album that WOULD BE USED for the conduct of the upcoming parliamentary primaries. However, if the need arises for a review of the Constituency Albums, that decision shall be taken by the national party and communicated accordingly.

For the avoidance of doubt, the party’s National Secretariat has copies of the various Constituency Albums for each of the 275 Constituencies which Albums SHALL be used for the parliamentary primaries until otherwise communicated by the national party. In the light of this, it would be a futile exercise for anybody particularly constituency executives, prospective parliamentary aspirants, sitting members of parliament and other stakeholders to engage in tampering with the current Constituency Albums for purposes of effecting changes to suit their interest. That notwithstanding, the party cautions all persons who may be engaged in such enterprise to desist forthwith, else, they risk being sanctioned in accordance with the party’s disciplinary procedures.

The party counts on the usual cooperation of all stakeholders.

Thank you.

…Signed…

John Boadu

General Secretary