Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, National Chairman of NDC
INFORMATION GATHERED by DAILY GUIDE indicates that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is set to clean its “over bloated voters’ register” ahead of the party’s presidential primary.
The NDC flagbearer race is slated for February 23, 2019 and a deep-throat source has told this paper that a decision has been taken to clean the register following concerns raised by six of the seven aspirants.
Ex-President John Dramani Mahama who wants to lead the NDC again after being humiliated in the 2016 presidential election, was the only aspirant that did not petition the party leadership over the “bloated register”.
Insider information suggested that the decision was made when a meeting was held between the NDC Electoral Committee and the six aspirants described as the ‘Big 6’.
According to DAILY GUIDE’S source, it was agreed during the said meeting held on Wednesday, January 30, 2019, for a technical committee to be established to help “clean the bad register.”
Petition
Last weekend, the ‘Big
6’ protested against what they perceived as anomalies with the voter register
that will be used for the forthcoming flagbearer primary.
The ‘Big 6’ namely Alban Bagbin, Nurudeen Iddrisu, Sylvester Mensah, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah,
GoosieTanoh and Prof Joshua Alabi petitioned the Electoral Committee of the
party over the “bloated register” and copied the Chairman of NDC National
Council of Elders, former President Jerry John Rawlings; the party’s General
Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia and Chairman Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.
In the petition, which
also raised concerns over the printing of the ballots, the aspirants expressed
reservations about the register consisting “simply of a list of names without
photographs, voter ID card numbers or even party membership card numbers.”
According to them, “there is also considerable inconsistency in the formatting.
Our concern obviously is that this approach creates opportunities for voter
impersonation and unnecessary confusion on Polling Day.”
Modalities
Chairman of the Electoral Committee Kofi Attor, in a statement issued after the meeting held at the Adabraka Head Office of the NDC, said: “The meeting discussed thoroughly all the modalities that will govern the printing and distribution of electoral materials as well as the Election Day activities.”
The statement added that “the issue of the voters register was also ironed out with all parties agreeing on the best way forward.”
It said: “The Electoral Committee wishes to assure all party members that equity and fairness shall guide our work to ensure that the NDC comes out of the presidential primaries stronger and poised to work towards securing victory in 2020.”
Specifically, Ekow Spio Garbrah, Sylvester Mensah, and A.S.K. Bagbin were present, while H.E. John Dramani Mahama, GoosieTanoh, Professor Joshua Alabi and Alhaji Nurideen Iddrissu were represented by their accredited agents.
BY Melvin Tarlue