NPP SuperDelegateVote: Boakye Agyarko Withdraws From Run-off Showdown
Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko, a flagbearer hopeful of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced his decision to refrain from the upcoming run-off election following a recent announcement that only members of the National Council would participate in the voting process.
His withdrawal follows the NPP's decision to convene its National Council as an electoral college to resolve the tie between him and his fellow competitor, Francis Addai Nimoh, both of whom secured fifth place in the recently concluded super delegate conference.
In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Presidential Elections Committee of the NPP, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, Mr. Agyarko criticized the move, stating that the National Council's shortlisting of a few individuals to represent the larger body of 955 participants from the first round of voting last Saturday was unconstitutional.
According to Boakye Agyarko, the position of the run-off scheduled for Saturday, 2nd September, 2023 was reaffirmed by the Chairman of the Elections Committee during an address to the party after the first round of the Special College elections, where it was stated that candidates who voted in the first round will be the ones to vote in the second round.
"The constitutional Special Electoral College with the mandate to short-list the list of aspirants is and can be none other than the full compliment listed under Article 13, Clause (9). It is not within the province or power of any body to truncate this list and substitute it with anything else," he stated.
Therefore, it is totally unconstitutional that a sub-section (about 135 National Council members) of the Special Electoral College should assume the function on behalf of the 955 delegates who voted in the first round.
"It is totally unacceptable to me that such an unconstitutional act can be perpetuated on the altar of expediency. Am I to surmise that the party did not know the cost implication? It is unconscionable that the rules of the game will be changed midstream. Rules and regulations that are flip-flopped in such a manner is only detrimental to fair play and justice. It is a clear violation of the party's constitution and the guidelines for the Special Electoral college. It is an unconstitutional act which I cannot allow myself to be associated with."
"I refuse to be a part of such an act that seeks to unjustly truncate a previously agreed upon process, and cannot be part of what is about to be done on Saturday, 2nd September, 2023. I cannot, with a clear conscience make such an impermissible concession to such an errant decision," he affirmed.
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