The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is set to elect a flagbearer and parliamentary candidates for the 2024 elections today, after months of vigorous campaigning and days of uncertainty, due to legal challenges brought forth by Dr. Kwabena Duffuor.
Former President John Dramani Mahama is competing in the flagbearership race against Kojo Bonsu, former Kumasi Mayor, following the withdrawal of former Bank of Ghana governor, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor.
Today’s election is expected to be held in 274 constituencies across the country, with elections in the Manhyia South constituency currently on hold. Over 366, 000 delegates are expected to vote in today’s election with 739 parliamentary aspirants taking part in the exercise. 47 parliamentary aspirants are expected to go unopposed in the polls.
Moreover, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) claims it is ever ready to conduct its presidential and parliamentary primaries today, even if the electoral management body, Electoral Commission (EC), fails to conduct the exercise.
Addressing the media, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the National Chairman of NDC, averred the EC is mandated to supervise the elections, however, in case it breaches the contractual agreements, the party will still organise the polls.
“We have a contractual agreement with the EC, but if they fail to supervise our primaries, we will use our internal structures to conduct the primaries. They are mandated to supervise our primaries. We had a discussion with the EC this morning to dispatch all materials. We even assured to fly the materials if they encounter any difficulties. We will take full responsibility for our elections…The elections will surely come on.”
Johnson Asiedu Nketia
Dr. Duffuor Withdraws From Flagbearer Race
Former Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffuor has pulled out of the NDC flagbearership race.
The former Minister of Finance at a press conference, explained that his decision was based on his grievances with the processes, leading to the party’s primaries; especially the voters register.
He said the exercise had been marred by a lot of irregularities; which had not been resolved by the leadership of the party.
“My concerns that the party is not ready to conduct a free and fair election is evident for all to see. Taking part in such would be akin to knowingly drinking from a poisoned calabash. After consulting with my support base nationwide, I have been left with no choice but to withdraw from the Presidential election as I cannot contest in an election which is blatantly fraught with irregularities regardless of all my efforts to draw attention to same.”
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor
Dr. Duffuor was aspiring to lead the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after the party holds its presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for Saturday, May 13.
Addressing a press conference Friday evening, Dr Duffuor accused the leadership of the party of breaching the agreement and assurance given to the three presidential aspirants to resolve the issues raised about the register, before Saturday’s polls.
“At the meeting chaired by the former speaker of parliament, Rt Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho, all stakeholders at the meeting agreed that the Party Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia would immediately set up a technical team, comprising the technical representatives from the 3 presidential aspirants and the party’s election committee to determine how soon the irregularities with the voters register could be resolved in readiness for the Presidential primaries.
“As I speak with you, our technical team is currently at the Party headquarters to undertake this activity. However, despite the assurances given to myself and my team by the Chairman of the party, the executives of the party, in a complete and unacceptable breach of faith, went ahead to convene a press conference announcing that the elections would go ahead tomorrow, without having resolved the concerns surrounding the voters register as decided at the meeting of the Council of Elders.”
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor
Saturday’s race is now between John Dramani Mahama, who is in his native, Bole, to cast his vote and Kojo Bonsu.
