Dr. Kwabena Duffuor
The campaign team of flagbearer aspirant of the main opposition political party, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Dr Kwabena Duffuor is demanding the immediate postponement of the Presidential Primaries scheduled for Saturday, May 13, 2023 over what it describes as flawed register.
A petition sent to the Elections Committee of NDC and Electoral Commission (EC)
on Monday, May 8, 2023 under the signature Kofi Kukubor, Head of Research and Strategy with the campaign team of Dr.Duffuor, stated that extensive review of the voters’ register or photo album for 220 constituencies have identified several discrepancies that render the register incomplete or inaccurate.
The campaign team said going into the election with such register undermines the credibility and integrity of the election and capable of causing irreparable damage to the flagbearer hopeful Dr.Kwabena Duffuor.
Therefore, the team is demanding the following:
1. Postponement of the May 13th Presidential Primaries
2. Stakeholders meeting to establish an agreeable roadmap that will guarantee the integrity of the voters register
3. Clean the register within an agreeable timeframe to ensure free and fair election
4. To save the image of the NDC so that the party can have a credible voice so that the party can speak on national election matters when the need arises.
Dr. Duffuor has earlier said that the May 13 Presidential Primaries must be free, fair and transparent to ensure unity after the elections.
Prior to the petition, Dr. Duffuor speaking on Nkawkaw-based Agoo FM Friday, May 5, 2023 to wrap up his four-day campaign tour of the Eastern region, said inaccessibility to the final compiled register a week to the polls was disturbing.
He backed his campaign team’s petition to the Electoral Commission on this score.
“Today is 5th May, we are are going to the polls on 13th May but we have not received the register which is going to be used for the election. So my campaign team is demanding for the release of the register. We have written to the party so we are waiting for them. There are rules and regulations about any election. My name could be conspicuously missing during the day of the election. What will I do in that situation? Am I going to fight or what? No. Reason we want to get access to the register to ensure that all qualified delegates are on the register,” Dr Duffuor said
The former Finance Minister and Governor of the Central Bank of Ghana added: “Why is the register not out ? If this happened in National elections and it is just a week ahead what would they have done? We are not litigating we just want to have access to the register to ensure every qualified delegate’s name is on the register so we go to the polls to vote fairly and peacefully. I am praying that they do the right things”
Nonetheless, he called on his supporters to remain calm and be peaceful to ensure unity in the NDC after the election to enable the party to defeat the ruling New Patriotic Party in the 2024 general election.
Dr.Duffuor is contesting the Presidential Primaries with former President John Mahama and former Mayor of Kumasi Kojo Bonsu.
By Vincent Kubi
