In an open letter to the National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, which goes to congress on December 22 to choose its presidential candidate, a serial tester of constitutional provisions, is seeking clarification on the status of NPP delegates.

The US-based law professor, Kwaku Asare says there is a "lack of clarity on how the delegates, once elected, are to vote at the congress. There is a widespread misperception that the delegates are principals who are free to cast a vote for any Presidential candidate of their choosing."

The NPP constitution provides for, among others, ten delegates from each of the 230 constituencies, with four being constituency officers and six being simply party members in good standing.

Supporting the view that constituency delegates should represent the viewpoint of constituents, Prof Asare explains that, ordinarily, "a delegate is a mere agent in a principal-agent relationship."

He stresses that "According to the dictionary, a 'delegate' is a person chosen to attend a congress, convention, or meeting on behalf of a constituency, interest group, or business."

Prof Asare is urging party rank and file in the constituencies to take steps to ensure that the delegates represent their viewpoint at the congress.

“The constituencies cannot and should not assume that the delegates will represent their viewpoint." On the contrary, he says the constituents must assume that the delegates will not represent their viewpoints.

According to Article 12 of the NPP constitution; the flagbearer is elected by the national congress, "which shall comprise of (i) 10 delegates from each constituency; (ii) 1 representative of the Founding Members from each Region; (iii) 1 representative of the Patrons from each Region; and (v) 1 representative of each overseas branch of the Party that is entitled to send a representative to the National Delegates Conference."

Also, Prof Asare wants to see the Mac Manu-led executive ensure that the selection of the ten constituency delegates complies with the party's constitution, Article 6(18) of which stipulates, "every constituency executive committee shall convene an extraordinary constituency delegates conference to elect, when required, 6 members of the constituency who are not constituency officers, together with 4 constituency officers, to be the 10 delegates of the constituency to attend the national congress."


Source: The Statesman