A flagbearer aspirant of the governing New Patriotic Party, Boakye Agyarko on August 31, announced his decision to refrain from the run-off election scheduled for Saturday, September 2, 2023.
The run-off is being organised to break the tie between Mr. Agyarko and another flagbearer hopeful, Francis Addai-Nimoh to decide who joins the four aspirants in the party’s November 4 presidential primary.
There was a dilemma as to whether the party should allow all the 961 members of the super delegates to partake in the run-off as both flagbearer aspirants attained 9 votes each in the August 26 polls.
The National Council met on the matter on Wednesday and concluded that the run-off should be held but, only their members will decide the fate of the two flagbearer hopefuls.
But Mr Agyarko Boakye who is not happy with the decision has outlined some reasons for his withdrawal from the run-off.
In a letter to the Chairman of the Presidential Elections Committee, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, he indicated that he cannot be part of a truncated process.
According to him, the party is going against the initially planned rules governing the run-off scheduled on Saturday, 2nd September 2023.
“In the event of 2,3, or 4 contestants sharing the total results with the remaining contestants not obtaining any votes, there will be a run-off for those who obtained zero votes to add up to the number to make up to the five (5). In the event of a tie between two or more Candidates for the fifth (5th) position, a run-off election will be conducted for those who will tie on Saturday, 2nd September 2023″. These and only these are what our constitution and published guidelines mandate as lawful and constitutional.
The position of the run-off scheduled for Saturday, 2nd September, 2023 was reaffirmed by the Chairman of the Elections Committee during your address to the party after the first round of the Special College elections, where you stated that candidates who voted in the first round will be the ones to vote in the second round”.
Read below his full letter:
OFFICE OF BOAKYE KYEREMATENG AGYARKO
31st August 2023.
Rt. Hon. Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye,
Chairman of the Presidential Elections Committee, New Patriotic Party.
Dear Sir,
I write to the Presidential Elections Committee with reference to the press engagement by the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party on Wednesday, 30th August, 2023 after the National Council meeting on the resolution that National Council members will vote to break the tie of the NPP special presidential election.
I refer to the NPP constitution, Article 13, clause (9),
“Where there are more than five contestants for nomination as the Party’s Presidential Candidate, a Special Electoral College shall cast their votes by secret ballot for the first five contestants to be short-listed.
The Special Electoral College shall comprise of the following delegates:
- The National Council
- The National Executive Committee
- The Regional Executive Committees
- All members of the National Council of Elders
- All Party Members of Parliament
- Three (3) representatives of each of the special organs of the Party
- past National Officers
- Three (3) representatives each from every external branch
- Founding Members during the registration of the Party at the Electoral Commission
- All Party Card bearing Ministers “
I also make reference to the approved guidelines for the Special Electoral College issued by the Presidential Elections Committee,
“ISSUE OF TIE IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE/RUN-OFF
- In the event of 2,3, or 4 contestants sharing the total results with the remaining contestants not obtaining any votes, there will be a run-off for those who obtained zero votes to add up to the number to make up to the five (5). In the event of a tie between two or more Candidates for the fifth (5th) position, a run-off election will be conducted for those who will tie on Saturday, 2nd September 2023″. These and only these are what our constitution and published guidelines mandate as lawful and constitutional.
The position of the run-off scheduled for Saturday, 2nd September, 2023 was reaffirmed by the Chairman of the Elections Committee during your address to the party after the first round of the Special College elections, where you stated that candidates who voted in the first round will be the ones to vote in the second round.
The constitutional Special Electoral College with the mandate to short-list the list of aspirants is and can be none other than the full compliment listed under Article 13, Clause (9). It is not within the province or power of any body to truncate this list and substitute it with anything else.
Therefore, it is totally unconstitutional that a sub-section (about 135 National Council members) of the Special Electoral College should assume the function on behalf of the 955 delegates who voted in the first round.
It is totally unacceptable to me that such an unconstitutional act can be perpetuated on the altar of expediency. Am Ito surmise that the party did not know the cost implication? It is unconscionable that the rules of the game will be changed midstream. Rules and regulations that are flip-flopped in such a manner is only detrimental to fair play and justice. It is a clear violation of the party’s constitution and the guidelines for the Special Electoral college. It is an unconstitutional act which I cannot allow myself to be associated with.
I refuse to be a part of such an act that seeks to unjustly truncate a previously agreed upon process, and cannot be part of what is about to be done on Saturday, 2nd September, 2023. I cannot, with a clear conscience make such an impermissible concession to such an errant decision.
I THEREFORE, RESPECTFULLY, SERVE THIS NOTICE TO REFRAIN FROM SUCH A CONTEST. As always, I wish the party well.
Accept my best regards.
Yours sincerely,
Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko
CC:
National Chairman General Secretary
Electoral Commission of Ghana Ghana Police Service
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