Accra, April 14, GNA – The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has suspended its parliamentary race, which was scheduled for April 25, 2020, to elect candidates in constituencies where the party has sitting Members of Parliament.
A statement signed by the General Secretary,, Mr John Boadu, said the decision was taken by the Party at a National Steering Committee meeting held on Tuesday, April 14, to conform with the President’s ban on social gatherings, as part of the national efforts towards the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The National Steering Committee, by reason of Article 10(10)(1) of the party’s constitution, is the body responsible for overseeing the daily management of the party, and thus, mandated to ‘act on behalf of the party on urgent matters’ such as in the circumstances we find ourselves as a party and nation owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, ” the statement said.
“It would be recalled that the President of the Republic, on April 12, 2020, extended, pursuant to EI 64, the ban on social gathering, including religious and political activities by additional two weeks. i.e. from April 12 to April 26, 2020, as part of measures to stop the spread of the deadly Coronavirus in the country.
“In the light of this development, the party is unable to hold the primaries as planned, and has, accordingly, postponed same till further notice.
“The party regrets all inconveniences that this may occasion, and hopes to hold this crucial exercise, sooner than later”.
The NPP has 169 sitting Members of Parliament, however, some of them are going unopposed.
The elections in the 106 ‘orphan constituencies’ were held last year.
Ghana is constitutionally scheduled to hold its next general election in December 2020.
GNA