Former Ashanti Bekwai MP Joseph Osei Owusu says contestants in the upcoming NPP presidential primaries internal election process have been given firm assurances of fairness, openness and transparency.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, he said the election committee has taken deliberate steps to build confidence among all candidates.
“So far, I think that we’ve given every one of the contestants the confidence that this election committee will do everything possible to ensure fairness, openness and transparency,” he said.
The comments come amid heightened political activity and scrutiny over internal party elections, where concerns about credibility and process often dominate public debate.
Mr Osei Owusu said the committee has already discharged its core responsibilities and deliberately handed over the most sensitive aspect of the process to an independent body.
“At this point, let me say that the committee has done all the things that were in our part, but we took a decision to cede the management of the voting itself to the Electoral Commission,” he said.
According to him, the Electoral Commission was also given control over the choice of polling stations.
“On voting day, we actually gave the selection of the locations for the voting, the polling stations, to the Electoral Commission,” he said.
He explained that the process was transparent and consultative. “They brought a list to us. We distributed it to all the contestants. We allowed them to make their comments,” he said.
Mr Osei Owusu said direct engagement with the Electoral Commission followed shortly after.
“Last week, we met with the Electoral Commission. The commissioner herself and her two deputies and their directors were with us,” he said.
He added that security arrangements were also discussed at the highest level. “The director of election security from the Ghana Police joined us,” he said.
According to him, the meeting reviewed and agreed on the rules governing the voting process. “We all went through to discuss the agreed rules for managing the process,” he said.
He noted that the Electoral Commission clearly outlined how the vote would be conducted. “The EC itself also gave us these rules I will use to regulate the voting,” he said.
He said copies of the rules were given to all contestants, with room for objections.
“And gave copies to everyone. If you have any complaints, please bring them up so we can discuss them,” he said.
Mr Osei Owusu said the process produced broad satisfaction. “We’re all satisfied,” he said.
He noted that only limited concerns were raised, involving a small number of polling stations.
“There were a few, I think two, polling stations that the contestants had brought a petition asking that they relocate the voting,” he said.
According to him, the Electoral Commission responded through due process.
“The EC said, very well, we have received it, but we will send it back to the region. Let the regional people confer and advise us,” he said.
