The much anticipated congress of the largest opposition party in Ghana, New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been postponed because of the Akwatia election. A new date, August 22, 2009, has been scheduled for the congress that will seek to amend the party's constitution. The delegates congress was slated for August 15. The proposed amendments will be limiting the number of people who can vie for the presidential candidacy of the party. This is to help the NPP deal with some of the challenges that came about as a result of a swarm of candidates who contested the flag-bearership race in 2007. That contest is believed to have badly fractured the party, culminating in its defeat in the 2008 general elections. As many as 17 candidates competed in that race. Dr. Akoto Owusu-Afriyie, a member of the NPP National Executive Committee, told Joy News the decision to postpone the August 15 congress to August 22 was to afford the party the opportunity to prepare adequately for the impending Akwatia election re-run on August 18. The Supreme Court Wednesday, July 15, 2009 dismissed a writ filed by the NDC candidate, Baba Jamal, in the Parliamentary election constituency and directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to conduct the election in six polling stations in the constituency where voting was disrupted in the December 7, 2008. Baba Jamal had secured an injunction from a Koforidua High Court restraining the EC from running the poll in only six polling stations. He wanted the election conducted across the constituency as against the EC's decision to conduct a re-run in only six polling stations. But the Supreme Court quashed the High Court's decision paving the way for the EC to proceed with the elections in the six polling stations in question. The six polling stations are the Presbyterian High School, Yoruba Mosque A, Yoruba Mosque B, Lorry Station A, Lorry Station B and the AME Zion Church, all at Akwatia. There are 4,581 registered voters in the six polling stations. The votes collated from the 83 polling stations on December 7, gave Dr Kofi Asare (NPP) 16,889 votes as against 13,810 by Mr Baba Jamal (NDC), Mr Basil Ahiable (Independent) 1,835, Mr Samuel Agyei (CPP) 109 and Mr Samuel Abrokwah (Independent) 64. Dr. Owusu-Afriyie explained that the congress date was fixed before the EC announced the date for the re-run. The party’s leadership, he said, therefore decided that it was important for the Akwatia election to come off before the congress. “It shows the importance the party attaches to the forthcoming election in Akwatia; and the party is very determined that justice should be seen to be done and that we win this seat for our member of parliament.” Story by Isaac Essel/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana