The National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for La Dadekotopon, Hon Nii Amasah Namoale, has kicked strongly against intended amendment of the ruling party�s constitution to allow for a sitting president to be automatically made flag bearer for the party in a second term bid.
According to the one time deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Fisheries under the erstwhile Prof Mills administration who has been rumored to eyeing the flag bearer slot of the NDC in the foreseeable future, it would be proper to allow President Mahama to lead the party into the 2016 election unchallenged, however, subsequent presidents under an NDC government must not be given automatic license to contest the national election.
Speaking to The Al-Hajj at the sidelines of a Consultative Assembly by the La Dadekotopon constituency of the NDC on the impending review of the party�s constitution, Hon Namoale who doubles as the Chairman of the La Consultative Assembly explained that, contesting a sitting President at the party�s congress would put the person on his toes to ensure he/she works to the satisfaction of members of the party.
Drawing lessons from what ensued between the founder of the NDC, former President J.J Rawlings and his ex-vice President, the late Mr. Kow Nkensen Arkaah, where the latter�s loyalty to the then President waned considerable, the law maker posited that it would not be right for the party to consider including such a provision in its constitution.
�In the case of President Mahama, we can allow him to contest the 2016 election unchallenged but after him, no sitting President of the party should be allowed to have an automatic qualification into an election. If we include that in our constitution and in future we get a sitting President who is not sympathetic to the course of the NDC or is not leading the party as we wanted, how then can we change him?� he asked rhetorically.
He said such a proposal if included in the constitution would create problems for the ruling party in future, stressing, that would allow for sitting Presidents of the party to renege on delivering on their mandates and that can cause the party dearly.
Hon Namoale also shot down the current proposal by the party to allow all card holding members to vote in electing parliamentary and presidential candidates of the party.
The National Constitution Review Committee of the NDC chaired by former MP for South Tongu, Mr. Ken Dzrasah, has embarked on a nationwide tour to interact with identified party leaders from various constituencies and Regional branches to generate the necessary inputs towards the planned constitutional review exercise.
As a result, the La Dadekotopon constituency of the ruling party over the weekend held its Consultative Assembly at the International Trade Fair Center on the proposed constitutional review of the party. This attracted about three hundred NDC sympathizers, branch executives and constituency executives.
Source: Al-Hajj Newspaper/Ghana
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |