DCEs, MCEs Protest Against NEC Decision

Some DCEs, MCEs have described as unfair the decision of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the New Patriotic Party that DCEs and MCEs interested in the party's parliamentary primaries resign to become eligible. The National Executive Council (NEC) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), at its meeting held in Accra on Wednesday, this week gave a 24-hour ultimatum to all district, municipal, metropolitan chief executives including all party executives from the district up to the national level who want to contest any of the sitting MPs to resign before the close of business on Friday February 29. The statement has however been strongly challenged by some DCEs and MCEs who may have been nursing such ambitions to contest. One such individual is Mr Kwesi Biney, DCE for Ahanta West in the Western Region who claims he has not been in the know about any such directive from the NEC says the decision is a deliberate move by the party to impose parliamentary candidates. "There are Deputy Ministers who are not MPs but have made their intentions to contest clear. Were they also suppposed to have resigned?," Mr Biney asked in an interview with Joy Fm's Araba Koomson. Mr Biney referred to the Council's decision as "an application of selective regulation" adding that the party would have made a better deal if it included all public officers and not just DCEs and MCEs. NEC, relying on the strength of Article 18 of the NPP constitution also passed 22-point guidelines to regulate the conduct of the nomination leading to the primaries. The source further told this reporter that those members who were asked to resign in November last year but could not do so can no more contest the primaries. Mr. Lord Enoch Oblittey Commey, the national organizer of the NPP confirmed the directives when he was contacted on phone yesterday and explained that candidates who would pick the form to contest the primaries would pay GH¢200 whilst the filing fee cost is GH¢1000. "The NEC has given a directive among many others, that those party officials who want to contest the sitting MPs must resign by the close of today to enable them pick forms from tomorrow and contest, but if they fail to do so, I am sorry they would not be allowed to contest." He told the Chronicle that the NEC had also decided to take Article 94 of the national constitution, which gives the requirements of legibility of individuals to contest, along side the party's own Articles to consider people who want to contest. According to Mr. Commey, NEC has also maintained that anyone who violates the directive would face outright dismissal or suspension depending upon the gravity of the offence. "The rules say that any misconduct of a party member who violates the rules and regulations would be suspended or dismissed." The new directive means that Stanley Nii Agyiri Blankson, who is reportedly rumoured to be nursing ambitions of going to parliament, would have to resign today if he is to fulfill his dream. A visit to the party's headquarters on Thursday February 28 revealed that application forms had been dispatched to various regions and their constituencies. The closing day of the nominations is March 30, 2008.