Accra, July 6, GNA- Mr Joseph Ayikoi Otoo, a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, has rescinded his decision to contest the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairmanship race as the Party gears up for its crunch national executive elections.
This was announced by Mr Peter Mac Manu, the Chairman of the NPP’s National Elections Committee at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, July 6, 2022.
“As a result of the diligence of the National Elections Committee and the preparedness of the prospective aspirants, no appeals against the nomination of any prospective aspirant were recorded by the National Appeals Committee, headed by Honourable Dan Botwe, which had scheduled Friday 24th to Saturday 25th June 2022 for the hearing of appeals.
“Honourable Ayikoi Otoo, who was vying for the position of National Chairman of the Party, has since withdrawn from the race,” Mr Manu said.
It is not yet established why Mr Otoo, a former Ghana High Commissioner to Canada, withdrew from the Chairmanship contest.
He had successfully gone through the electoral processes thus far and would have been number six on the ballot paper to be used for the elections.
Eight aspirants for the National Chairman Position were cleared by the Elections Committee to participate in the elections.
With Mr Otoo pulling out of the race, the remaining contenders will be: Daavi Ama Gifty Asantewa Ayeh, Sammy Crabbe, Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Ekumfi, and Akwasi Osei-Adjei.
The rest are: Stephen Ayensu Ntim, Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, and Kwabena Abankwa-Yeboah.
The NPP’s national executive elections is scheduled to take place at the Accra Sports Stadium from July 15 to 17, 2022.
The positions being contested are: National Chairman; National First Vice Chairperson; National Second Vice Chairperson; National Third Vice Chairperson; General Secretary; National Organiser; National Treasurer; National Women’s Organiser; National Youth Organiser; and National Nasara Coordinator.
Mr Manu said the Elections Committee had furnished all candidates with the tentative Delegates Album while it worked to finalise the album.
He said the Committee was aware of some challenges in some constituencies that were yet to elect their executives, and that the Committee was working around the clock to have those issues resolved in due time.
He, however, indicated that no delegate from constituencies that had not elected their executives would be given accreditation and/or allowed to participate in the upcoming elections.
With respect to Proxy Voting, Mr Manu said the deadline for the receipt of valid Proxy vote requests was Friday 1st July 2022, adding that the Committee would not accept any request for voting by Proxy going forward.
He urged all aspirants to desist from campaign of insults and refrain from bastardising the elections process aimed at ensuring free and fair elections.
“All aspirants and/or their agents are warned not to engage in any untoward behaviour that can be interpreted as ‘Bribery’ or ‘Treating’ within the meaning of the Representation of the Peoples Law, 1992 (PNDCL 284), which are serious criminal offences.
“The National Elections Committee has therefore, engaged the Ghana Police Service, who will be on the elections grounds to strictly enforce the law and arrest anyone found to be in breach,” he added.
GNA