NPP presidential election: Boakye Agyarko backs out of “unconstitutional” run-off

Less than 24 hours after the National Council of the NPP elected to decide the run-off between Boakye Agyarko and Francis Addai-Nimoh, the former says he can no longer be part of the process.

In a statement on Thursday, Mr. Agyarko, who described the decision as unconstitional, criticized the party for allowing some 135 National Council executives to decide the tie as opposed to the over 900 delegates who voted on August 26.

“It is totally unconstitutional that a sub-section (about 135 National Council members) of the Special Electoral College should assume the function on behalf of the 955 delegates who voted in the first round”, Mr. Agyarko said in his statement.

The NPP had argued that the decision to allow only the National Council was borne out of the general well-being of the party and also to save time and money.

But reacting to this, Mr. Agyarko questioned why the party couldn’t determine this when it published the guidelines governing the presidential elections.

“It is totally unacceptable to me that such an unconstitutional act can be perpetuated on the altar of expediency. Am I to surmise that the party did not know the cost implications? It is unconscionable that the rules of the game will be changed mid-stream.”

He accordingly resolved to withdraw from the run-off.

“I refuse to be part of such an act that seeks to unjustly truncate a previously agreed process, and cannot be part of what is to be done on Saturday, 2^nd September, 2023. I cannot, with a clear conscience, make such an impermissible concession to such an errant decision,” Mr. Agyarko stated.

The former Energy Minister had in an earlier statement on August 28, 2023, expressed interest in participating in the run-off, dispelling rumors he was stepping down.