Disregard “fake memo”, no primaries on May 9 – NPP
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has refuted a purported leaked memo which suggested that the party was to hold its primaries on May 9.
A day after President Nana Akufo-Addo lifted a three-week lockdown in some parts of the country following the coronavirus outbreak, the memo was issued and circulated in various social media circles.
The note had suggested that: “Unanimously, the party’s National Steering Committee has planned to hold parliamentary primaries in areas where it has sitting Members of Parliament (MP) on Saturday, May 9, 2020, under a strict COVID-19 safety measure. However, the same date would also be used to confirm the flagbearer of the party for the 2020 general Election”.
However, the party’s General Secretary, John Boadu, rebutted in a counter release indicating that the governing party had “not issued any such statement/memo and there has not been any emergency National Steering Committee meeting on April 20, 2020, as claimed in the said fake statement/memo”.
“The party has till date, not met at any level, to review this position following the President’s decision to lift the partial lockdown imposed on some major cities in the country,” he stressed.
He requested the public to disregard the “fake memo”, which was “authored by some political mischief makers to create disaffection for the party and the President, whose popularity has soared significantly across the globe, having demonstrated great leadership in his handling of the COVID-19 situation in Ghana”
The party had scheduled the primaries to select its parliamentary aspirants on April 25 but had to postpone it indefinitely because of the coronavirus crisis.
Below is the full statement :
The attention of the NPP has been drawn to a supposed leaked internal memo purportedly coming from the National Steering Committee of the party announcing a new date for the party’s 2020 parliamentary and presidential primaries.
The party wishes to state unequivocally that it has NOT issued any such statement/memo and there has not been any emergency National Steering Committee meeting on April 20, 2020, as claimed in the said fake statement/memo.
Indeed, the last National Steering Committee meeting of the party was held on April 14, 2020, at which meeting, the party decided to suspend its primaries till further notice in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions imposed by the President pursuant to EI 64.
The party has, till date, not met at any level, to review this position following the President’s decision to lift the partial lockdown imposed on some major cities in the country. And, as the party has always done, if any such decision is taken, same will be communicated to the general public through our official platforms including the party’s website: ( newpatrioticparty.org )
It is pretty obvious that this fake memo was authored by some political mischief makers to create disaffection for the party and the President, whose popularity has soared significantly across the globe, having demonstrated great leadership in his handling of the COVID-19 situation in Ghana.
Finally, the NPP wishes to state for the avoidance of doubt that until otherwise communicated, the party’s 2020 parliamentary and presidential primaries remain suspended, and the memo being circulated on social media is FAKE and should accordingly be treated with all the disdain that it deserves.
Thank you.
JOHN BOADU
GENERAL SECRETARY