The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has finally fixed 30th April 2011 for its Parliamentary primaries across the length and breadth of the country.
Party General Secretary, lawyer Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie popularly called Sir john, who confirmed the story to DAILY GUIDE last night after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, said each aspirant including sitting Members of Parliament was expected to pay GH¢10,000 as ‘national party development fee’ and another GH¢6,000 for filing fee, all totaling GH¢16,000.
The decision was taken at an emergency meeting at the party’s headquarters yesterday, which was at the behest of NEC.
It was attended by all key and influential members of the NPP including former President John Agyekum Kufuor and his former Chief of Staff, Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani, and the party’s Presidential Candidate for the 2012 elections, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
DAILY GUIDE sources said apart from raking in money for the party, it would attract serious contestants to the race, instead of people who would sail through the primary but would not be able to raise money to campaign.
But there are fears that some contestants in unattractive constituencies, where the prospects of winning are very slim, may not be able to cough up such an outrageous amount.
Lawyer Owusu Afriyie rejected suggestions that the amount was on the high side and probably meant to fend off incumbent MPs from facing possible contests.
“The decision is not intended to assist MPs nor intended to shield them from be competed. The competition is open to everybody.”
That notwithstanding, he said, the resolution was given a unanimous decision, emphasing, “Indeed some people even asked for GH¢18,000 and then others GH¢20,000 but then the consensus was centered on the GH¢16,000, so it was very fair and frank discussion but at the end of the day, the consensus was around that figure and they all clapped for it.”
By this decision, the contest for the NPP Parliamentary opens on 28th February 2011 for filing of nominations and closes on 6th March 2011, whilst the elections would be held on 30th April 2011 in all constituencies, except Bekwai, Bosome-Freho and Nkawkaw constituencies where the sitting MPs are independent candidates.
This, according to party General Secretary, would enable them to have ample time to assess the situation in those constituencies and if possible make amends before they would finally fix a date for those constituencies.
Meanwhile, some interested persons have already started lacing their boots to contest some of the incumbent Members of Parliament for their seats and it is not clear whether or not they would in anyway be deterred by the GH¢16,000 requirement.
Consequently, the NPP has made an appeal for members who are not even contesting for any position in the party to consider it a priority to contribute to this ‘national party development fee’ to help push the party’s agenda for the 2012 elections.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu