Africa observes NPP congress

The New Patriotic Party         According to information reaching DAILY GUIDE, Africa is watching with keen interest as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) goes to congress to elect its presidential candidate. With Ghana being a pace setter in African politics, it is not surprising that some political parties on the continent have sent representatives to the country to observe the NPPs presidential congress that will elect the party's next flag-bearer. Sources indicated that representatives of some major political parties in other African states were in the country to watch the NPP presidential congress so that they could replicate the landmark history in their respective countries. Today marks an important history in the political existence of the NPP as they go into congress to elect their flag-bearer for the 2012 elections. Unprecedented in the history of African politics, a whop  ping number of 115,000 dele­ gates are scheduled to partake in the election of the party's next presidential candidate. Previously, about 2,300 delegates were involved in the election of the party's flag-bearer but the number was increased following the massive expansion of the party's Electoral College. The overwhelming expansion of the electoral college was part of measures the party put in place to ensure that it bounces back to power after it lost the 2008 elections narrowly to the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). Due to the large number of the delegates involved in the process this time around, the election would be conducted in all 230 constituencies simultaneously. Speaking to Kessben Fm in an interview, O.B. Amoah, a member of the National Elections Committee of the NPP said more political parties on the continent have sent their representatives to observe the NPP elections. He mentioned that currently, representatives of political parties from Gambia, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, among others, were in the country to observe how the congress would go today. The former deputy Sports Minister emphasized that the delegations were in the country to understudy the NPP because they want to follow in the footsteps or the party in their various countries. Because the NPP would come under the microscope of Africa, Mr Amoah urged the contesting candidates and their supporters to comport themselves throughout the exercise to give the party a good image. "I can tell you that the whole of Africa is watching us today, therefore if we do not comport ourselves and let negative tendencies take the better part of us, we will disgrace our  selves in the eyes of Africa," he stated. Mr Amoah observed that all was set for the milestone congress and that nothing would hold back the successful organization or the congress to consolidate NPP as pacesetters in internal democracy. According to him, the printing of ballots and other electoral materials were ready and that they had been dispatched to the various constituencies for the smooth running of the elections. He urged agents of the contesting candidates and their general supporters to abide by the rules set for the elections and also channel their grievances to appropriate authorities in charge of the exercise. As a reminder, the former deputy Sports Minister noted that the polls would be conducted in all the 230 constituencies across the country at 8:00 am and close at 3:00 pm. Source: Daily Guide