Leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will today hold a crunch meeting to decide a date and modalities for its upcoming presidential and parliamentary primaries.
Different dates have been put out by various individuals as the date for the primaries but Deputy General Secretary of the party, George Lawson, insists the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NDC is yet to take a decision on the matter.
The NDC constitution provides that they elect their presidential and parliamentary candidates a year ahead of the main elections.
In an interview with Daily Guide, Mr Lawson said “though we have not run out of time, there should be preparations towards it” and that NEC was likely to meet today to take a decision on the matter.
He emphasised that “It is the National Executive Committee that fixes the date,” adding that when a decision was taken, NEC would spell out the modalities and guidelines that would regulate the primaries.
He therefore asked the public to disregard the dates being put out by various individuals and interest groups.
Ahead of the primaries, President John Mahama has welcomed anybody who has the intention to contest him for the flagbearership of the party.
Even though the name of his Trade Minister, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, recently emerged as one of his likely contenders, the man quickly came out to deny the speculation.
But speaking to Radio Ghana yesterday, President Mahama said “the NDC is a very democratic party so we allow for competition at all levels of the party and therefore the party encourages that. This is why we are called the National Democratic Congress (NDC).”
“I believe in non interference in the parliamentary primaries because at that level such personal involvement could result in the choosing of candidates who will lose the general elections. Therefore it is always proper to allow the people to elect their own candidates,” the president, who is seeking a second term, said.
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