Politics of Wednesday, 5 December 2018
Source: Graphic.com.gh
2018-12-05
Former Kumasi Mayor Kojo Bonsu
Former Kumasi Mayor Kojo Bonsu who has expressed interest in the presidential race of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) says, he is awaiting a decision from the Council of Elders of the NDC, to decide on the next stage of his campaign.
Kojo Bonsu failed to pick a nomination form within the stipulated time by close of day Tuesday, December 4, 2018, to take his campaign to the next level.
In a press statement, however, he appealed to his supporters to remain calm as “it is not yet over.”
“I would like to officially state that my campaign team and I will make a decision after we have heard from the Council of Elders, following the joint petition regarding the flagbearer race that was submitted on Monday 3 December 2018.”
“We believe in victory through unity and accountability and will continue to uphold and live by this no matter what comes our way. I would ask all my supporters to remain calm, as it is not yet over,” Mr Kojo Bonsu stated.
Five aspirants out of a total 12, John Dramani Mahama, Joshua Alabi, Sylvester Mensah, Stephen Atubiga and Alban S.K. Bagbin were on the only aspirants who picked the nomination forms within the two days stipulated period for that exercise.
Seven other aspirants who had expressed interest in the contest did not show up to pick the form by the 5pm closing time on Tuesday.
They are Ekwow Spio Garbrah, Elipklim Agbemava, Nurudeen Idrissu, Kojo Bonsu, Goosie Tanoh, Kweku Rickets Hagan and David Dotsey Kwami Kuwadah.
Petition
Eight of the 12 people aspiring for the flag bearer position of the opposition NDC decided to boycott the picking of nomination forms as the party opened its doors for the picking of nomination forms on Monday and Tuesday.
They have consequently petitioned the National Council of Elders of the party, under the chairmanship of the Founder, former President Jerry John Rawlings, to intervene to prevent irreparable harm to the party.
The decision of the aspirants followed the setting of what they described as ‘outrageous’ filing fee by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
In a document titled: “Guidelines for the conduct of the election of a presidential candidate of the NDC pursuant to articles 40 and 42 of the constitution”, the General Secretary of the party, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, last Thursday announced that the filing fee for male aspirants had been pegged at GH?400,000, while female aspirants and persons with disabilities (PWDs) would pay GH?200,000 and GH?150,000, respectively.”
According to the petitioners, specific issues they had with the guidelines were that the NEC did not meet the procedural requirements set out in Article 42 (1) (f) of the NDC constitution for publishing electoral guidelines.
The NEC, they said, had generally not met standards of stakeholder consultations acceptable in a social democratic party.
They also averred that NEC, in publishing the guidelines, exceeded its authority, to wit, imposed eligibility criteria not provided for in the party’s constitution.
“These make the guidelines ultra vires to the NDC party constitution and thus null and void,” the petitioners stated.