The New Patriotic Party (NPP) yesterday announced 17 venues across the regional capitals of the country for the party’s super delegates election elections on Saturday targeted at cutting down the number of presidential aspirants to five.
The venues are the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Faculty of Law Kumasi, Ashanti; Pastoral Centre Goaso, Ahafo; Pastoral Centre Sunyani, Bono; Kokroko Social Centre, Techiman, Bono East; Quandrangle University of Cape Coast Central Region and the Koforidua Secondary Technical School Eastern Region.
The rest are YMCA Adabraka, Accra; Tamale College of Education, Northern Region; Naleirugu Secondary, North East Region; Damongo Youth Centre, Savannah Region; Bolgatanga Technical University Library Complex, Upper East Region; Old University for Development Studies Campus Wa, Upper West Region; Dambai College of Education, Oti Region; Catholic Secretariat Ho, Volta Region; Great Hall Takoradi Technical University, Western Region; Pastoral Centre Sefwi-Wiaso, Western North and the NPP National Headquarters, Accra.
Vice president of the NPP presidential elections committee, Mr Abankwah Yeboah, who made the announcement at a press briefing in Accra said the committee had entrusted the police to take full and absolute control of security during the elections, adding that no other security agency would be permitted at the various voting centres.
He revealed that 20 proxy applicants were received however one out of the number unfortunately passed away.
Mr Yeboah said the Committee and presidential aspirants agreed on several critical measures, including refraining from appointing active government officials or delegates, enforcing restrictions on mobile phones and electronic devices as voting screens, using complex serial numbers on the ballot and denying access to all persons in a manner that will undermine the credibility of the voting process.
He assured that all concerns raised by the aspirants had been diligently rectified, stressing that there was no need for worries.
“Aspirants were concerned about the potential traceability of votes to individual voters and apprehensions. This apprehension has been effectively managed through the implementation of intricate serial numbers comprising a combination of characters,” he said.
“This strategic approach ensures that no individual can decipher the voting patterns of specific voters after the voting process concludes. It guarantees integrity and confidentiality of the voting exercise,” he added.
Chairperson for the Committee, Professor Mike Oquaye, on his part said his outfit was very mindful of vote buying in politics “that is why we will not allow anyone to take their mobile phones to the voting area so that there would not be the situation where someone will take the picture of his or her vote and use as evidence for any financial gains.”
BY RAISSA SAMBOU
