<<Print>>The John Mahama campaign team is counting on contributions from supporters to help raise money for the nomination forms and filing fees, to enable him contest in the party’s presidential primaries.
The National Democratic Congress, NDC, has set January 19, 2019, for its Presidential primaries, and nomination forms for the aspirants will cost GHc 20,000, while the filing fee will cost GHc 400,000.
On how the Mahama camp plans to raise the money, the campaign spokesperson, James Agyenim Boateng, said “we are counting on the goodwill of people.”
“Many people have been pledging support for former President John Dramani Mahama. I have followed many people who say they are more than ready to support raise the money to be able to buy the forms as well as be able to pay the filing fee and we are ready for the reception we are getting.”
Former President Mahama is viewed by some observers as the front-runner and he is expected to contest the primary against the likes of the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin; Joshua Alabi and Spio Garbrah among others.
A former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority, Sylvester Mensah; a former MCE of Kumasi, Kojo Bonsu; Nurudeen Iddrisu; Stephen Atubiga and Goosie Tanoh, among others have also declared intent to contest the flagbearer position.
A member of the team, Richard Quashigah said Prof. Alabi will not be forced to back out of the race while describing the fees as unacceptable.
“I had hoped that the General Secretary will not have come out with figures like that. Previously, it was 50,000. The argument stays that we are a social democratic party, we don’t do thing like other political parties in this country because we are of a unique stock. And so if now we will also be taking the same trajectory as the NPP then it is most unfortunate. This figure is unacceptable and very much on the high side. It will appear that we have put the party up for sale to the highest bidder which ought not to be the case.”
The NDC’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, however said the fees were moderate.
He has said the fees will help cater for the expensive cost associated with holding elections.
“If you compare these monies against the cost of organizing the activities we are talking about, you will realize that the party will still have to raise money to supplement whatever will be accruing from these filing fees so I do not see how anybody can say that it is outrageous. NPP three years ago was charging 500,000. We were all with you here in this country, did you complain?”