Ellen Ama Daaku, the communications team member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and also a member of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign team, has stated that the Special Delegates Conference was necessary and constitutional and as a result, all 10 candidates knew what they were getting into.
She explained that what happened on Saturday was just a step in the process of selecting a successor for His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, whose term will expire in 2024.
The Bawumia campaign team member claimed that the decision about the “Super Delegates Conference” was made in 2009 and that the NPP had previously gone through this process in 2014. She then questioned why so many individuals who had previously shown no interest in the “Super Delegates Conference”, now make a lot of noise about it, as if it is a major incident.
“As I said, the constitutional change was made in 2009 and the delegates then decided that this is how we are going to run our next Presidential elections. And in 2014, it was the same thing that was used. So, until somebody gives us concrete evidence to why it is not needful, I don’t see what the problem is because we have used it since 2009. So, for me, it’s a process you have to go through.
“So, when you are going to pick up forms, you knew that there was a possibility that more than 5 people will pick the forms. And if more than 5 people pick up forms, you know you are going to go into a super Delegates Conference. So, those who are saying it’s not useful, what’s their evidence? The NPP has a constitution and this is in the constitution. And it is members of the Party who sat down and decided that this is how we want to run our part and this is how we want to run our elections.”
Ellen Ama Daaku
Additionally, she said that the constitution would remain unchanged, until NPP members concluded that all of what outsiders were saying were true. She highlighted that only NPP members make decisions on the NPP. As a result, she claimed that everyone who picked up a form for the Presidential election was aware that a Special Delegates Conference may be necessary.
“As I said, opinions are varied but until NPP delegates at our National Conference decide that this is no more what we want, it stays in our books”, she opined.
NDC Has No Right To Talk About Violence In Super Delegates Conference
According to Madam Ellen Ama Daaku, in the recently held Super Delegates Conference, only Alan Kyerematen had proof that his agent had been physically assaulted, and it was the sole instance of overt violence.
She questioned, however, whether Ken Agyapong had proof of the events he mentioned in the viralvideo, including where, when, and how his agent was driven away.
“I mean when we are talking about violence in political parties and internal elections, the NDC has the nerve to talk about Russia-Ukraine on this one? Was it not in December 2022 that they went for their youth Congress? What happened? That youth and women’s congress that they had in Cape Coast, what happened? Weren’t 3 people declared wanted by the police? Did they not beat themselves black and blue? What didn’t we see?”
Ellen Ama Daaku
She also disclosed that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) experienced more intra-party violence in the past than the NPP. She claimed that one person who was wanted by the police following a previous NDC internal election, had even been detained in her Constituency.
“And the such people come and tell us that one reported incident, compared to yours (NDC)! When talking about violence in this country and electoral violence in this country, if I was the NDC, I would not even talk about it. Keep quiet, look into your party, work on how you’re going to collate results, work on how you can compete with the NPP and stop talking about violence.
“Because the last time I checked, when women and the young people were going to choose their leaders, you beat yourselves black and blue. Kennedy Agyapong said what he said but did you see him holding sticks? When you (NDC) went for yours, people were holding sticks and stones. So please, when we’re talking about electoral violence, they should shift and let us move.”
Ellen Ama Daaku
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