Ahead of Internal elections from 2022, the National Council of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has adopted the Code of Conduct to regulate the conduct of Party Members in both Presidential and Parliamentary Primaries for Election 2024 during the Pre-Presidential and Parliamentary Primaries period.
The Code of Conduct has been formulated by Article 18 of the New Patriotic Party’s Constitution and it applies to Party supporters and actors including Government Appointees; Ministers; Members of Governing Boards/Councils; Chief Executive Officers of Governmental Institutions; Members of Parliament; Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives; Aspirants/Potential Candidates; their Supporters and all other Members of the Party.
This Code of Conduct is thus applicable during the period preceding the opening of nominations for prospective candidates to contest for the Party’s Presidential and Parliamentary Elections and shall be in force until the General Secretary, on behalf of the National Executive Committee/ National Council, officially declares that, positions for Presidential and Parliamentary Elections are opened to prospective Candidates as stipulated in the Party’s Constitution.
1. Members, Supporters, Sympathizers of the Party at all levels shall:
a) Refrain from using the media (traditional or social) to attack the integrity and reputation of other members particularly leading members perceived to be nurturing Presidential or Parliamentary ambitions;
b) Refrain from openly debating on the suitability, desirability, or otherwise of Presidential or Parliamentary Candidates until the Party formally opens nominations through the General Secretary;
c) Not initiate early gatherings camouflaged as activities or meetings which tend to promote the interest of a prospective Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate;
d) for the specified period, refrain from making any public statements or inferences through any print or electronic media including online portals and all social media outlets regarding the propriety or otherwise of any Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate;
e) Be entitled to hold their regular Party meetings; but shall desist from holding discussions on the suitability or otherwise of any prospective Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate;
f) Desist from using their public office or portfolio within or outside the Party to promote the interest of any prospective Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate to gain an unfair political advantage;
g) for the period preceding the election of Presidential and Parliamentary Candidates, not offer money, gifts, or other incentives that have the potential to directly or indirectly influence the outcome of the election of any prospective Candidate;
h) Not covertly or overtly solicit campaign contributions, gifts, and other incentives in cash or kind during this period;
i) not hold any campaign activities for themselves or any prospective Candidate until such time that the Party so declares;
j) Not form any groupings or association within or outside the Party for or against any prospective Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate;
k) Not anonymously prosecute campaign activities on any platform in furtherance of the interest of any prospective Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate.
2. Communicators of the Party shall not use both traditional and social media platforms to campaign for or against any prospective Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate, and any Communicator who breaches the Code of Conduct shall be suspended from speaking for and on behalf of the Party. This is without prejudice to any other sanctions prescribed in the Constitution.
3. For the avoidance of doubt, prospective Presidential or Parliamentary Candidates shall be held responsible for the actions and inactions of any person or group of persons identified as a supporter(s) of a particular Candidate which is in flagrant breach of this Code of Conduct if the prospective Candidate is seen explicitly or implicitly lending support or condoning and not publicly denouncing the activities of any such person or group of persons.
4. The Party reserves the right to disqualify any potential Presidential or Parliamentary Candidate or aspirant who either directly or indirectly breaches this Code of Conduct.
For emphasis, this Code of Conduct comes into force on this 27th Day of July 2021 and shall remain in full force until the General Secretary of the Party, on behalf of the National Executive Committee/National Council officially declares Nominations for Presidential and Parliamentary Elections duly opened for prospective Candidates.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Kofi Atakora
