Due to an injunction filed by an NDC flagbearer aspirant, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) has announced the suspension of its supervision of the presidential and parliamentary primaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), come Saturday, May 13.
Madam Jean Mensa, the Electoral Commission Chairperson at a meeting on Wednesday, May 10, declared that “in order that we are not cited for contempt, the Commission has taken the decision not to supervise the conduct of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections until after the determination of the case by the court.”
Afterwards, a meeting held between the NDC and the EC addressed outstanding issues ahead of Saturday’s primaries, which has been canceled by the election management body.
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, an NDC flagbearer aspirant, on Tuesday, May 9, filed an interlocutory injunction against the party’s presidential and parliamentary primaries. This suit is meant to bar the NDC and the Electoral Commission from holding the primaries, pending the production of a complete photo album register.
The former Finance Minister, however, asked the party to deliver the complete register to him at least five weeks before the election date. According to the plaintiff, data from only 220 out of the 275 constituencies, have been verified. He adds that an exceptional list of 74,799 has been created, which cannot also be verified because of scanty information.
“For no credible reason, 3,910 eligible voters at the 220 constituencies have been disenfranchised,” Dr. Duffuor’s writ read in parts. He further points out that the photo album put out by the electoral directorate of the NDC with the knowledge, consent, and tacit approval of the general secretary of the party, would compromise the integrity of the election to his detriment.
“The Plaintiff maintains that the reluctance to extend the time for the internal elections and provide a complete and credible photo album register ahead of time to the presidential aspirants for verification, smacks of a plan to create an undue advantage for manipulation of the presidential primaries.”
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor’s writ
Kwabena Duffuor had complained of some discrepancies in the party’s voter register and called on the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party to postpone the upcoming primaries, nevertheless, the party stated that the primaries will proceed accordingly.
Abraham Amaliba Asks Both The Party And Dr. Kwabena Duffuor To Sit And Talk About It
The Director of Legal Affairs of the NDC, Abraham Amaliba, confirmed that the party has been served with the injunction application. He stated that the court has fixed 15th May, for the hearing, which is two days after the internal elections would have taken place. However, he claimed, the party is working to ensure that the hearing takes place before the Saturday, May 13 elections.
“If the parties are minded and Dr Duffuor is ready, we can have a discussion around the issue that he has raised, which are no issues at all and then if that is possible, we can reach an amicable settlement.”
Abraham Amaliba
However, a petition sent to the Electoral Commission (EC) and Elections Committee of the NDC on Monday, May 8, under the signature of Kofi Kukubor, the Head of Research and Strategy with the campaign team of Dr. Duffuor, stated that extensive review of the voters’ register or photo album for 220 constituencies, have identified several discrepancies that render the register incomplete or inaccurate.
The campaign team claimed that going into the election with such a register, undermines the credibility and integrity of the election and capable of causing irreparable damages to Dr.Kwabena Duffuor.
READ ALSO: If The Party And Dr Duffuor Are Ready, We Can Have A Discussion Around The Issue- Abraham Amaliba
