Eight flagbearer aspirants of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) say the January 19 date set by the party’s national executives for the presidential primaries, is “unreasonable”.
That date gives them 45 days to file papers and wrap up campaign, which they say is impracticable.
This is one of several concerns contained in a petition to the party’s Council of Elders, sent and signed by the disgruntled eight.
This has all been triggered by the party’s decision to collect 420,000 cedis from each aspirant as nomination and filing fees. Deeming the 700% increase in the fee exorbitant, the eight want it reviewed to 100,000 cedis.
Otherwise, they will opt out of the race which they say is being managed to favour former President, John Mahama.
Their kick against the financial rules in the contest has been coming since it was announced by party General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia last week.
Christmas and referendum
But what appears to have been unanticipated in the media is the kicking against the January 19 date for the presidential primaries.
The petitioners -Alban Bagbin, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Sylvester Mensah, Stephen Atubiga, Nurudeen Iddrisu, Goosie Tanoh, Kojo Bonsu and Elikplim Agbemava- have argued the month of December is not conducive for political activities because of Christmas.
There is also a referendum set for December 27, 2018, where residents in six regions will decide for or against the creation of new regions.
This political event will also make it more difficult for the NDC aspirants to effectively campaign, they pointed out in the petition.
In addition to the disruptions of Christmas and referendum, they add one more week in the New Year for the full resumption of normal activities in Ghana.
Practically, they would have barely 10 days to campaign and also set up polling day operations in all the 275 constituencies, the petitioners have argued.
Even before that day, the aspirants have three days (3-5 December 2018) to collect the names of three proposers, five seconders, and 550 endorsers from all 275 constituencies.
Plus 10 days to raise the filing fees of GHS 420,000.
The displeased aspirants have also compared the primaries process to the recent process to elect nine national executives at the 9th National Delegates Congress held in Accra a couple of weeks ago.
In that campaign, the candidates had six weeks to file papers and campaign for their positions.
But the 45-day period starting from December 5, 2018, to January 19, 2019, “is less than half the period that Congress in its wisdom allowed for this process”
The aspirants described the process set out by the national executive committee as “indecent haste” and a “rushed procedure”, criticising the newly-elected leadership for failing to offer any explanation for the haste.
Elections are “not a matter of administrative convenience of the Party bureaucracy”, the eight aspirants said.
They have asked for a review of the process so that party members get ample time to “meet with, hear from and evaluate the different candidates” who want to lead the party in the 2020 general elections.
Below are excerpts from the petition:
IMPOSITION OF AN UNREASONABLE SCHEDULE
NEC proposes that the entire electoral process be completed within 45 days from 5 December to 19 January. We object to this as unreasonable.
1. This is less than half the period that Congress in its wisdom allowed for this process just 2 weeks ago.
2. Within this period NEC proposes that collection of nomination forms is done between 3 – 5 December. This is an unreasonably short period given that Party has only now commenced the formal process towards primaries and purported to provide eligibility criteria for candidates. It is now that Party members who have been considering a run for the Presidency can make a final determination of whether or not to stand. As anybody who has participated in these processes before knows, no individual makes this decision without considerable consultation with political advisors and personal stakeholders. It is not a decision that is finalized in one or two working days.
4. NEC proposes that the Candidates secure 3 proposers, 5 seconders, and 550 endorsers from all 275 constituencies and raise the filing fees of GHS 420,000 within a period of 10 days. By contrast contestants for NEC elections at the recent Party Congress were given a period of 6 weeks for similar processes.
5. By the end of the proposed endorsement period on 15 December the country will be shutting down for the Christmas and end-of-year festivities and reflections – a period in which campaigning is very difficult. Campaigning will be further complicated by the upcoming referenda on the creation of new regions. In practice political life will resume fully in early January 2019 leaving effectively only about 10 days to campaign and set up polling day operations (for which relevant information has not yet been provided).
NEC has offered no explanation for this indecent haste to conclude this process. We submit that there is no benefit to the Party in such a rushed procedure. Elections are a political process affecting millions of Party members. They are not a matter of administrative convenience of the Party bureaucracy. Party members around the country must be given adequate time to meet with, hear from and evaluate the different candidates and what they have to offer to Party and Nation before making a choice.
Source: myjoyonline
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I wonder if your name is really Araba.. God really forgive you for this comment.. If these aspirants uses their own money and tomorrow they come to power and they use corrupt means to get their money back we r the same people who will complain.. Why all this rush.. If you want to raise funds for the party is that the best way.. This is a Lazy way of raising funds.. When they want to be General Secretary and party chairman why didn't they pay more to bring cash into the party coffers.. And this is the party in waiting to come and mess things up again.. God have mercy on us because this people will come and destroy this country again.. If NPP hadnt come into come John Domelo and their friends will be driving V8.. Stolen cars from the state.. This is the extent of the corruption..
@james Balogun, you name sound like Alata Yaw if you are really one. You see the Dimmmm Wiiiiiiit BloooooCk Heeeeeaaaaad INFESTED NDC commentators I've been talking of. Why if the NDC WANTS TO GO DICTATORSHIP for NOW ONLY TO INDECENTLY SCHEME TO INSTALL JDM,THEY ARE AT LIBERTY TO DO SO. The party was born out of dictarship, so going back to their ROOTS will not be a big deal. BUT IF DEMOCRACY IS WHAT THEY SEEK TO PARACTICE, THEN there should be a LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. hOW CAN ONE USE sTOLEN State money through scheme looters, Organize a deceptive peace and UNITY walk THROUGHOUT the country singularly lead by ONLY ONE of the Aspirant, Addressed singularly by ONLY ONE SAME aspirant throughout the country, Had the opportunity to address every organised congress shamefully BEFORE and AFTER and FINALLY setting a PREZ normination and Election time table and fees communicated to JDM LONG BEFORE HIS FELLOW CONTESTANTS. AS WE SPEAK HE HAS VIRTUALL FULFILED ALL HIS NOMINATION AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT EVEN AHEAD OF TIME...AND YOU OPEN YOUR HALITOSIS MOUTH TO CONDERM DISCENT? WHAT A NAKED AND SHAMEFULL SCHEME....
You all wants to be president but you dont want to sacrifice. What kind of president will you be. Complaining complaining what is that for. What you are doing shows that you are not fit to be the president of Ghana period.
You are a moron go and pay for adverts and stop this nun sense.