Politics of Monday, 3 December 2018
Source: citifmonline.com
2018-12-03
NDC Greater Accra Regional Chairman, Ade Coker
The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress [NDC], Joseph Ade Coker, has said the nine aggrieved presidential hopefuls of the party refused to support all of the NDC’s internal activities that have taken place so far when they were asked to assist.
Speaking on the Breakfast Daily Show on Citi TV, Mr. Ade Coker, who is part of the NDC’s National Executive Committee, NEC, said, “I feel sorry for those aspirants. This is a party that has had branch, constituency, regional and national elections, but none of them contributed even a dime. When the Council of Elders met them and asked each of them to contribute to the party, they refused. They were called to the Council of Elders meeting and asked to contribute about GhC50,000, none of them did. They saw the party going through all the processes. In all these processes, it was the GhC1.00 contributions from the branch leaders that was used to conduct the branch elections.”
Asawase NDC pays GHc20k, picks nomination form for Mahama
His comments follow a petition by Alban Bagbin, Spio Garbrah and seven other aspirants to the party’s Council of Elders over the GhC20,000 for nomination forms and GhC400,000 for filing fees.
It is unclear whether Mr. Ade Coker’s explanation could be the reason the party has raised the filling fee in such a manner that most of them are complaining about.
Political parties per Ghana’s laws, are to finance their activities through payment of dues by members and voluntary donations.
The other petitioners are Joshua Alabi, Sylvester Mensah, Stephen Atubiga, Nurideen Iddrisu, Goosie Tanoh, Kojo Bonsu and Elikplim Agbemava.
“I’m a member of the planning committee. We asked the constituency chairmen to fund the transportation of their delegates to the Trade Fair Centre. Half of that money has not been paid to them. The presidential aspirants never came to the NEC meetings to contribute anything. They don’t expect me to contribute for an election to be run for them,” Ade Coker also said on the Breakfast Daily.
“NEC met and looked at the cost of running the elections for the presidential aspirants and it is in the region of almost GhC8 million. The EC alone, is charging GhC3000 per constituency. Who will pay for all this? The party is supposed to raise funds through dues and we have been doing this. The cost of organizing these events is very high, so we are asking the aspirants to contribute their quota. If they want to lead the party, they should have the network.”
The aspirants proposed that fees for collection of forms be reduced to GHS 5,000, whiles the filing fees should be pegged at GHS100,000. They are also asking for an endorsement period of 6 weeks, and the polling date shifted back to the first week of March 2019.
Asawase NDC pays GHc20k, picks nomination form for Mahama
Meanwhile, as other aspirants are fighting the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) hierarchy over the cost of nomination forms and filing fees for the presidential primaries, forms have been picked up and paid for on behalf of former President John Mahama. The forms were picked up by a delegation from the Asawase Constituency, which earlier pledged to pay for the GHc 20,000 nomination form after the former President visited the area.
The former MCE of Asokore Mampong, Alhaji Nurudeen Hamid, who led the delegation, told Citi News political actors within the constituency contributed the GHc20,000.
He said the community owed former President Mahama a debt of gratitude for the development he brought to the area.
NDC MPs raise money for JM
Some 96 National Democratic Congress legislators have also purportedly raised over GHc 600,000 for Mr. Mahama’s bid to become the NDC flagbearer, according to the Kumbungu MP, Ras Mubarak.
“Initially, we thought we would just raise GHc420,00 cedis but very interestingly, a lot of support in terms of raising the funds has come from friends, well-wishers and members of the party. From the last count we’ve raised a little over GHc 600,000,” he told citinewsroom.com.
Scores of supporters also lined-up at Mr. Mahama’s office at Captain Hooks in Cantonments to donate towards his campaign.
As at midday on Monday, about GHc 683 had been realized from 124 supporters, who contributed between GHc1 to GHc10.
Mr. Mahama’s office has also confirmed that it has received up to GHc1000 cedis from 500 supporters via the campaign’s mobile money number since it was announced on Monday morning.