The governing New Patriotic Party has scrapped an initial plan to hold primaries for sitting Members of Parliament in January 2020.

General Secretary of the party, after an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting told Joy News’ Kwesi Parker Wilson that the parliamentary primaries will now be held on April 25, 2020.

John Boadu said the presidential primaries will also be held on the same date.  

Sitting MPs kicked against an initial January 2020 date.

The MPs said the date was not favourable because it was impossible for them to undertake their duties in Parliament and concurrently campaign for the primaries.

The party’s NEC has changed that decision.

John Boadu, however, warned that no aspirant is allowed to campaign until nominations are opened.

“Ahead of these primaries, the party is cautioning prospective aspirants to desist from all forms of campaign activity until nominations are duly opened else they risk being disqualified for flouting party directives.”

He added that the NEC will, at the appropriate time, come out with detailed guidelines and modalities for the conduct of these primaries.

The party will also hold parliamentary primaries in the remaining 'orphan constituencies' that were excluded from the party's nationwide primaries held on September 28, 2019 due to some outstanding matters which have now been resolved.

The primaries for these outstanding constituencies will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2019.