An atmosphere of “uneasy calm” has descended upon the Manhyia North Constituency following the disqualification of several New Patriotic Party (NPP) members aspiring to Polling Station Executive (PSE) positions.
The disgruntled applicants have signaled their intent to formally appeal the vetting committee’s decision, citing procedural bias and a lack of transparency.
With the internal party elections scheduled for later this month, the stakes are high.
These positions serve as the foundational bedrock for the party’s delegates and local organizational structure.
Grievances:
A cross-section of the affected aspirants, speaking on the condition of anonymity, described the vetting committee’s verdict as untenable and opaque.
Many argued that they approached the application process with the utmost diligence, ensuring all requirements were met.
The core of their frustration stems from what they describe as a “blanket disqualification” without specific feedback.
Their primary grievances include:
Lack of Specificity:
Applicants claim the rejection notices failed to identify exactly which sections of the forms were incomplete or incorrectly filled.
Procedural Inconsistency:
Some aspirants alleged that the committee’s reasoning felt arbitrary rather than being based on the party’s established constitutional guidelines.
Threats:
The aggrieved members expressed concern that these “frivolous” disqualifications are a calculated attempt to disenfranchise them and prevent them from participating in the democratic process of the party.
Determined to seek redress, the group has confirmed they will officially file their petitions with the Appeals Committee this Monday and Tuesday, invoking the internal dispute resolution mechanisms provided by the NPP constitution.
Committee’s Stance:
In a swift rebuttal to these allegations, the Chairman of the Manhyia North Elections Committee, Mr. Yaw Geraldo, maintained that the vetting process was conducted with strict adherence to party regulations.
He dismissed claims of victimization or bias, asserting that no applicant was targeted.
According to Mr. Geraldo, the disqualifications were the result of “unpardonable errors” discovered during the scrutiny of the nomination forms.
He highlighted several common discrepancies:
Invalid Endorsements:
Numerous forms featured proposers and seconders who were not registered voters at the specific polling stations where the applicant was contesting.
Questionable Identification:
Some applicants used names of endorsers that could not be verified within the party’s local database.
Negligence:
The Chairman emphasized that many applicants simply failed to exercise the necessary care required for such a critical administrative process.
“Every disqualification was evidence-based. If an applicant failed to apply due diligence in filling their forms, the committee had no choice but to follow the guidelines,” Mr. Geraldo stated.
Road Ahead:
While the tension remains palpable, Chairman Geraldo struck a conciliatory note by reminding the aspirants that the party’s democratic structures are designed to handle such friction.
He affirmed that the Appeals Committee is prepared to review every case on its merit, ensuring that justice is not only done but seen to be done.
As the NPP prepares for its May elections, the resolution of this standoff in Manhyia North will be a crucial test of the party’s internal cohesion and its ability to manage grassroots grievances ahead of the national electoral cycle.
Story By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie,
Kumasi.
