Compelling Your Aspirants Not to Run as Independent Candidates Won't Work - NPP Told

Atik Mohammed asserts that the commitment by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to its presidential candidates to support the party's nominee and a warning not to run as an independent candidate lacks the "force of law" necessary for any candidate to comply with the directive.

A statement issued and signed by the NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, enumerated the dos and don'ts for the aspirants ahead of the party's Special Delegates Congress and subsequent main primary to select their Presidential candidate for the 2024 elections.

Candidates are required to execute an undertaking waiving their right to contest the 2024 elections on the ticket of another political party or as an independent candidate following the NPP convention.

Parts of the statements read, "The Party wishes to reiterate that any Aspiring Presidential Candidate who disregards any of the above guidelines and modalities or conducts himself in a manner that brings the Party's name into disrepute shall be deemed to be in violation of the Party Constitution and will, accordingly, be sanctioned, including disqualification from contesting in the Primaries.

"According to Atik Mohammed, however, this order is invalid because everyone has the right to join or establish a political party or run as an independent candidate.According to him, the best that the NPP can and should do is to focus on rebuilding the party after the primaries.

"Even if a person wishes to depart after the elections, this cannot bind him or her.

If the individual desires to depart, he will do so.

He told Kwami Sefa Kayi on the Friday edition of the "Kokrokoo" show on Peace FM, "The party should be more concerned with ensuring that, at the conclusion of this family dispute, there will be no successions or people who defect to form their own parties or decide to run independently.