NPP investigates election irregularities

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has set up a special committee to investigate concerns by some members over the recently concluded polling station executive elections.

Chairman of the NPP, Freddie Blay, stated that the party will uphold the committee’s decisions and that all parties involved will be expected to take notice and act accordingly.

The party’s polling station elections were fraught with difficulties. Some party members criticised what they described as deliberate attempts by some constituency executives to prevent them from accessing the forms.

“We’ve set up a committee and we are taking care of these issues. Those who have grievances some can be accommodated and those that cannot be accommodated, it is unfortunate and there will be better times where they can take advantage of. This is in motion and we are doing that,” Mr Blay revealed on March 9.

The aggrieved persons claimed that some local executives, in order to improve the chances of their favoured candidates, performed activities that thwarted other aspirants’ attempts to file nominations for polling station executive positions.

Such challenges were seen in Shama, Fomena, Manhyia North, and Bantama, raising debate about the party’s possible fractures at the grassroots level.

However, Mr Freddie Blay said the situation isn’t as bad as it appears.

He stated that the party is not pleased with aggrieved parties going to the media and threatening defection over concerns about the electoral process, and that the decisions made by the party and its special committee regarding the elections will be in the best interests of the party.

“Definitely, we accommodate people’s concerns but at the end of the day we take decisions that promote the interest of the party and not for the individuals or group. The fact that you have been denied [access to forms] doesn’t mean the whole sky should fall off, or you should go to the media and make noise about it,” he said on Citi TV’s Point of View.