Senior executives and delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have denounced a circulating petition challenging the party’s directive on proxy voting, calling it misleading, unauthorized, and fraudulent.
The action stems from an earlier petition from delegates from 30 external branches of the party who had earlier petitioned the leadership over a decision to ban proxy voting in its upcoming presidential primary, calling the move unconstitutional and undemocratic.
In a petition dated 10 November and addressed to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), the group argued that the Presidential Elections Committee (PEC) lacked the constitutional authority to prohibit proxy voting without consultation with the NEC and the National Council.
The delegates said the decision, announced on 6 November, “effectively disenfranchises” NPP members living abroad and violates long-standing party practices that allow external delegates to vote through proxies when they cannot travel to Ghana.
No consultation
In a counter-petition submitted to the NPP’s General Secretary on Thursday (14 November), the group of concerned External Branch Executives and Delegates said the original petition, which claimed to represent 30 external branches, did not reflect the knowledge or consent of the majority of branch chairpersons.
“Upon internal verification, it has become evident that most of the undersigned names attributed to branch chairpersons were never consulted, nor did they authorize their inclusion,” the counter-petition stated, describing the document as fraudulent and null in effect.
The counter-petition cites misrepresentation, procedural irregularity, and falsification of representation as grounds for complaint. It warned that circulating the original petition had sown confusion among the party’s international membership and undermined cohesion.
Dialogue
The authors emphasized that while members may hold differing views on the Presidential Elections Committee’s (PEC) directive banning proxy voting, the PEC acted within its delegated authority from the National Executive Committee (NEC), and concerns should be addressed through constructive dialogue rather than unauthorized petitions.
The counter-petition requested that the General Secretary and NEC disregard the original petition, investigate its authorship, and formally clarify the party’s official position on proxy voting.
The document also recommended open consultations with external branch leadership and suggested that electronic voting for external branches could be considered in the future, while supporting the current PEC directive.
“We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the unity, discipline, and democratic principles of the NPP,” the counter-petition concluded, calling for the protection of party processes against forgery, misrepresentation, and manipulation.
Source: asaaseradio.com
