A pro-National Democratic Congress (NDC) pressure group in the Klottey Korle constituency of the Greater Accra Region has accused executives of the party of playing the ostrich in the matter involving the Member of Parliament for the area, Nii Armah Ashitey, and Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the party’s parliamentary nominee.

The incumbent MP for the area challenged the election of Dr Agyeman-Rawlings after the NDC’s parliamentary elections after claiming that she was not a registered voter in the constituency, a situation he thought should have prevented her from contesting. But the court upheld that she was validly elected.

The group, at a press conference on Thursday, 11 August addressed by Mr Chris Hesse, said its members were appalled by the way and manner executives of the party handled the matter, hence were calling upon Mr Ashitey to contest the December polls as an independent candidate.

“It is obvious that Madam Zanetor has vowed not to campaign for JM (John Mahama) because of her family’s beef with the party; this is a well-known fact, but, surprisingly, like the ostrich, the NDC party has buried its head in the sand pretending Madam Zanetor is campaigning for…JM. For this, we Democrats are all out to campaign for JM and Nii Armah Ashitey,” the group said.

“We have gathered to call upon Honourable Nii Armah Ashitey to contest as an independent parliamentary candidate for the Klottey Korle constituency. This group is a pro-NDC entity in the Klottey Korle constituency. To start with, we members of this group have printed several posters and pasted them around the constituency in an attempt to pressure Honourable Nii Armah Ashitey to contest. Please note, Honourable [Ashitey] is not behind the pasting of the posters; we are forcing [him] to contest. We wish to assure [him] of skirt-and-blouse votes – a vote for JM, a vote for Nii Armah Ashitey.”