The campaign team of flagbearer aspirant of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, is asking for a postponement of the presidential primaries scheduled to take place on May 13 due to what it characterizes as a faulty register.
In a petition that was submitted to the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) and the Elections Committee of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Monday, May 8, under the signature of Kofi Kukubor, the Head of Research and Strategy with the campaign team of Dr. Duffuor, it was stated that an extensive review of the voters’ register or photo album for 220 constituencies had identified several discrepancies that render the register incomplete or inaccurate.
The campaign staff stated that entering the election with such a list undermines the credibility and integrity of the election and has the potential to cause irreparable harm to the candidate for flagbearer, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor.
Duffuor camp calls for postponement of NDC primaries over ‘flawed register’
1. The postponement of the presidential primaries scheduled for May 13
2. A gathering of stakeholders to devise a course of action that everyone can get behind and which would ensure the accuracy of the voter registration
3. Ensure that the register is cleaned within a reasonable amount of time in order to hold free and fair elections.
4. To salvage the reputation of the NDC in order to provide the party with a credible voice and allow it to participate in discussions regarding national elections when the opportunity presents itself.
In an earlier statement, Dr. Duffuor emphasized the importance of the presidential primaries taking place on May 13 being free, fair, and transparent in order to maintain unity after the polls.
Dr. Duffuor concluded his four-day campaign visit of the Eastern area on Friday, May 5, by giving an interview on Agoo FM, which is situated in Nkawkaw. In the interview, he stated that it was concerning that the final compiled register was inaccessible a week before the elections.
On this point, he supported the petition that his campaign team submitted to the Electoral Commission.
“It is currently the 5th of May, and the election will take place on the 13th of May; however, we have not yet been provided with the register that will be utilized for the vote. As a result, the team working on my campaign has demanded that the registration be made public.
After sending a letter to the party, we are currently awaiting a response from them. In every election, there are specific rules and guidelines to follow. On the day of the election, it is possible that my name will be noticeably absent from the ballot.
What steps can I take to remedy the situation? What? Am I going to get into a fight? No. The primary reason we are interested in gaining access to the register is so that we can check and make sure that all eligible delegates are included. Dr. Duffuor said
The former Governor of the Central Bank of Ghana and Minister of Finance of Ghana remarked, “Why is the register not out? What actions would they have taken if this had taken place during national elections with only a week left until the polls closed?
We are not engaged in a legal battle; rather, we merely need access to the register in order to confirm that the names of all eligible delegates are included on it before proceeding to the polls in an orderly and untroubled manner. I am saying my prayers that they make the correct decisions.
Despite this, he urged the people who supported him to keep their cool and maintain peace in order to preserve the unity of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after the election and give it the best chance of ousting the New Patriotic Party from power in the next general election in 2024.
In the next presidential primaries, Dr. Duffuor is competing against John Mahama, a former president of Ghana, and Kojo Bonsu, a former mayor of Kumasi.
