The Electoral Commission (EC) has pulled out of the National Democratic Congress’ primaries scheduled for Saturday, May 13, 2023.
This decision has become necessary until all legal issues surrounding the election are resolved.
According to the electoral body, going ahead to supervise the primaries would amount to contempt of court.
The EC disclosed its decision to agents of all the three flagbearer hopefuls of the NDC after a crunch meeting on Wednesday.
“Yesterday we were served with an Application for Interlocutory Injunction seeking to restrain the Commission from supervising the conduct of the Presidential and Parliamentary Primaries due to the alleged anomalies with the register, Chairperson of the Commission, Mrs. Jean Mensa noted.
She continued: “Gentlemen, in order that we are not cited for contempt, the Commission has taken the decision not to supervise the conduct of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections until the determination of the case by the court”.
Dr Kwabena Duffour, an aspirant of the presidential primaries on Tuesday dashed off to the Accra High Court and filed a suit against the party following what he says are some discrepancies identified in the party’s voters register to be used for the exercise.
In the writ, Dr Duffour accused the party of failing to provide the required photo album register five weeks before the elections in accordance with the party’s rules.https://www.myjoyonline.com/ndc-primaries-kojo-bonsu-backs-duffuors-call-to-postpone-elections/
He further claimed in his affidavit in support of the motion that a partial photo album register was given to his team on May 4, a few days before the elections rather than in March when they had submitted a request for one.
“The Plaintiff adds that to their utmost surprise, upon verification, it was found that the number of constituencies on the hard drive given to his representatives was 220 in number as opposed to the alleged number of 228 constituencies indicated by Defendant,” portions of the 36-paragraph affidavit in support of the motion read.
“The Plaintiff adds further that an initial verification of the said 220 constituencies on the hard drive given to his representatives by the 2nd Defendant established basic errors and inaccuracies that render the Photo Album Register inaccurate and unreliable for a free, fair and credible election.https://mypublisher24.com/cadres-arise-against-duffour-over-court-injunction/
Dr Duffour added that despite his request for a postponement of the elections until a full photo album register is secured, the party refused to heed his request.
For this reason, the plaintiff is urging the court to grant an interlocutory injunction to restrain the party and sued persons – General Secretary, Election Director, co-contestants John Mahama and Kojo Bonsu, and the Electoral Commission – from holding the elections.
Meanwhile, a group calling itself the United Cadres Front has reacted to the court processes initiated by Dr. Duffuor’s Campaign Team.
According to the group, the court action is another elaborate plan by the Presidential hopeful to scuttle and destroy the very foundations which “we all sweated to build.”
The group however urged the delegates to vote against him.
Source:mypublisher24.com