Jeff Konadu Addo, NPP E/R Sec
The National Appeals Committee, National Steering Committee, National Executive Committee and National Council of the governing New Patriotic Party have affirmed the decisions of the National Parliamentary Vetting Committee (NPVC) for the Eastern Region to disqualify some aspiring parliamentary candidates in the region. This means that all aspiring parliamentary candidates who were disqualified during the vetting, and appealed, were not successful.
This was disclosed by the party’s Eastern Regional Secretary, Jeff Konadu Addo.
At a joint NEC and National Council Meeting of the party, on Wednesday June 3, the decision of the NPVC was unanimously upheld by the party’s NEC and National Council.
Disqualification
Fifteen aspirants were disqualified by the party in the Eastern Region during it vetting, which was held from March 4 to March 7, 2020. The 15 were part of 79 aspirants who appeared before the vetting.
“Out of the 79, the committee found that 15 of them were somehow – their documentations and other things could not qualify them to contest in these primaries and that is going to be our report to be forwarded to National for consideration.
“At the end of the day, the national party will take a final decision on the vetting committee’s report and all the proposed disqualified aspirants have the opportunity to also petition the National Appeals Committee for their case to be heard,” the Eastern Regional Secretary, Jeff Konadu, told the media after the exercise.
Some of the disqualified aspirants included Philip Addison, lead counsel for the NPP during the landmark 2012 Election Petition. Mr Addison and one William Agyei Twumasi, an Accountant at Akropong Presbyterian College of Education, who were contesting the incumbent MP for Akropong and Deputy Information Minister, Nana Ama Dokua, were both disqualified.
In the Atiwa East constituency, all four aspirants, Ernest Adade Owiredu, Kudjoe Amegah Kafui, Eric Agyarko and Dr Benny Frank, who were contesting the incumbent MP and Deputy Finance Minister, Abena Osei Asare, were also disqualified.
The only aspirant contesting Kwasi Amoako Atta, MP for Atiwa West and Roads and Highways Minister, Dr Samuel Owusu Akyem, was also disqualified.
The former Executive Director of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Gloria Ofori-Boadu, who was contesting Samuel Atta Akyea, MP for Abuakwa South and Minister of Works and Housing, was also disqualified.
In the Abirim constituency, two aspirants, Frank Mireku Ahemah and Daniel Amoako Afrifa, contesting the MP for the area, John Osei Frimpong, were all disqualified, while two aspirants, Moro Sakyiama Yakubu and Freeman Ofori Agyarko, contesting the MP for Fanteakwa North, Kwabena Amankwa Asiamah, were both disqualified.
No decision on suspensions
Meanwhile, Mr Konadu Addo has said that the party has not taken any decision on suspended party members yet.
Some nine electoral area coordinators who have been suspended by the party in the Akyem Oda constituency petitioned the party’s NEC for a revocation of their suspensions.
However, speaking to the Daily Statesman, Mr Konadu Addo said nothing has been said about the petition by NEC yet.
“Nothing has been said yet. If, going forward, the Steering Committee will give directives, we are yet to know,” he added.
