Leading Member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Amoako Tuffour has cautioned the party’s administrators to abandon the idea of handpicking parliamentary candidates to represent their various constituencies in the December elections in an unlikely event due to it possibility of creating unforseen consequences for the party.

The parliamentary primaries of the NPP was called off as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic and per the statement of the General-Secretary, the party will be forced to appoint parliamentary candidates should it become impossible for their parliamentary primaries to be held.

He explained that “assuming this pandemic gets worse such that it becomes impossible for us to go to primaries at all but the Electoral Commission insist they can put in place some social distancing protocol arrangement that will make it possible for us to vote on December 7, this is a hypothetical situation, and it’s going to be impossible for us to hold primaries since there is a ban on it, the National Executive Committee can take a decision that X, Y or Z should be the candidates for our party in constituency 1, 2 or 3.”

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According to Dr. Tuffour, if the party executives should take a decision of hand picking candidates, there are likely outcomes the party will suffer as a sign of displeasure by followers which would cost the incumbent government in the general elections.

The NPP member outlined that unfavored candidates in the selection would either choose to contest as independent which will mislead members into voting ‘skirt and blouse’ or majority of the people will not vote at all.

“The secretary did not speak of handpicking candidates directly because the troubles this will generate will be immense. People will go unopposed, independent and this will lead to the voting of skirt and blouse and a loss of interest in voting at all,” he said on Angel in the morning on Thursday, April 30, 2020.

He suggested that measures can be put in place to effect the primaries by observing the social distancing mandate and the wearing of masks at the various centers.

He further advised the NPP executive body to appeal to government for suggestion.