NDC race: More than 355,000 delegates start voting in 401 centres

Elections for presidential and parliamentary candidates of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have kicked off smoothly across the country. 

The event is taking place in 277 constituencies concurrently to elect both the presidential and parliamentary Candidates for the 2024 general elections.

According to the release on default delegates population and voting centres issued in Accra by the NDC a few days ago, a total of 355, 092 delegates, drawn from 38,596 polling stations across the country are expected to converge at 401 voting centres for the exercise.

The delegates include branch executives, constituency executives, regional and national executives, former MMDCEs, former ministers of state, former other government appointees, and other persons or groups recognised by the party’s constitution.

For the presidential race, two people are expected to be on the ballot; former President John Dramani Mahama and former Mayor of Kumasi, Kojo Bonsu.

The road leading to today’s primaries has been very bumpy for the country’s largest opposition party.

Injunctions

Presidential candidate hopeful, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, filed an application at the high court seeking an order to injunct the NDC’s primaries.

Duffuor was asking the court for a “declaration that the Photo Album Register issued by the 1st defendant and 2nd defendants to the Plaintiff on 4 May 2023 as the primary document for conducting the internal Presidential election of the National Democratic Congress on the 13 of May 2023 is incomplete and inaccurate.”

Edgar Asamoah Boateng also filed an application at the High Court in Adenta seeking an order to injunct the NDC’s presidential and parliamentary primaries scheduled.

In his writ of summons, Asamoah Boateng (Plaintiff), a card-bearing member of the NDC in Abuakwa North said he was surprised, the 1st (NDC) and 2nd (general secretary of NDC) defendants have failed to provide the voters register to him (the plaintiff) and all other aspirants including presidential aspirants.

Both candidates withdrew the court cases on Friday.

Duffuor withdraws from the race

Kwabena Duffuor withdrew from the party’s presidential primary on Friday leaving John Dramani Mahama and Kojo Bonsu in the race.

“I have been left with no choice but to withdraw from the presidential election, as I cannot contest in an election which is blatantly fraught with irregularities regardless of all my efforts to draw attention to same,” Dr Duffuor announced.

“Clear path”

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission said it is ready to supervise the presidential and parliamentary primaries of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday (13 May).

A statement issued by the Electoral Commission on Friday said the road is now clear for the election agency to supervise the NDC primaries after both candidates withdrew their court cases.

 “… the way is now clear for the Electoral Commission to supervise the conduct of the NDC primaries slated for Saturday 13 May 2023,” the EC said.