Director of elections and research for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Evans Nimako, has revealed that the party expects flagbearer hopefuls to abide by the code of conduct of the party, as it prepares for the super delegates conference and subsequent general elections.

According to him, the party necessarily requires aspirants who have expressed interest in vying for the presidential ticket of the party to abide by its rules. He stated that, this it to ensure the unity and order inherent in the party.

“… The New Patriotic Party has gone into this contractual arrangement with our presidential candidates, they gave us their word, they swore an oath they’ll respect and abide by the rules put together by the party. We therefore expect them at this stage that having been allowed by the party to be in this process, they are not to be in breach of this rules of engagement.
New Patriotic Party

Commenting on a statement by the NPP which restrains aspirants from contesting on the presidential ticket of other parties if they fail to win and how the party will effect it, Mr Nimako indicated that the party is getting presidential aspirants to appreciate that for being allowed to participate in the exercise, they are obliged to respect the rules and regulations, and the code of conduct put together by the party.

“We hope that they will go by this. In the event that any of them want to contravene this exercise, the party will take an action within the law to address this as we put it black and white on the paper.”
New Patriotic Party

Aspirants signing code of conduct not out of place

On his part, political scientist at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr Amakye Boateng, revealed that the rules and regulations put forth by the NPP is expected. He explained that membership of a political party also implies that these contestants are to align themselves to the rules of the game, and the rules and regulations that the political party operates with.

Dr Boateng noted that the NPP, being a rational entity, would like to make sure it doesn’t break its rank going into the next election and desires to address all the concerns that to the best of the party’s understanding, might become a constraint.

“One of them is what we are looking at. So, I think it’s only fair on their part to get the contestants to sign on and I don’t think it is out of place. If you are a member of the party, and you have come out to contest as a presidential material, you understand that at the end of the day, only one person is going to go through.”
Dr Amakye Boateng

Dr Boateng highlighted that for aspirants who have any concern about how things are unfolding, and especially since the issue about free and fair elections relates to the rules of the electoral game and their implementation, these aspirants still have an opportunity to have their grievances addressed. He explained that any issue aspirants have difficulty with, the leadership represented by the Council will address it.

“As it is, so far, the Council has really been working… So, I think it is fair on the part of the party to want to put its rank together, especially after the election… There’s a high possibility that an aggrieved person who loses might want to break away and the party is in to also win the national, presidential election. So, I think they are doing the right thing for themselves.”
Dr Amakye Boateng