The opposition National Democratic Congress, (NDC) has rejected accusations of a bloated voters register for the party’s Presidential Primaries to be held in Febuary.
Six (6) out of seven (7) vrying for the presidential slot of the party, Alban Bagbin, Nurudeen Ali, Sylvester Mensah, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Goosie Tanoh and Joshua Alabi have petitioned the party that contract for the printing of ballot papers for the upcoming presidential primary, to a state-owned printing house.
They asked that the Party award the contract for the printing of the ballot papers to a trustworthy firm such as the Assembly Press, to ensure that some irregularities that rocked the party’s national executive election in November last year does not re-occur.
But speaking on Radio Ghana’s current affairs programme, ‘ Behind The News’, the Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Peter Otukunor sending the ballot papers to the suggested printing house would be very risky as its headed by a staunch member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“This issue is a very interesting one. Even to suggest that we get a printing press headed by David Asante, an NPP man and a leader of the Let My Vote Count Alliance to print our ballots for us is most unfortunate. What if he decides to mess us up, then we are in big trouble.”
“Procurement and the management of the party administration cannot be put in the hands of the flagbearer aspirants. The party has not communicated any printer to them. So it is rather unfortunate for them to raise these concerns when the process itself has not started” he added
He however, said the Election Committee of the party has met on the matter and intends to meet the aspirants to clarify issues.
Meanwhile, a member of Professor Joshua Alabi’s campaign team, Nii Amasa Namoale, says although their team is worried about the issues coming up, it will deal with it internally instead of contesting it in court.
About the petition
The petition was addressed to the party’s National Election Committee and copied to the Chairman of NDC’s National Council of Elders, Jerry John Rawlings, NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, and party Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.
The six aspirants also called on the Election Committee to furnish them with a voter’s register which contains photographs of the voters.
The petition was presented to Bede Ziedeng, who’s part of the Elections committee on Saturday, at the party’s headquarters.
Some portions of this article culled from CNR.
