Four flag bearer-aspirants of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have picked nomination forms to contest for the presidential primary of the biggest opposition party.

They are former president John Mahama, Prof Joshua Alabi, Mr Sylvester Mensah and Mr Stephen Atubiga.

There were reports that the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, had picked the forms on Tuesday, 4 December 2018 through his representatives. However, Mr Bagbin indicated that he has not authorized anyone to do so on his behalf.

He told Accra-based Starr FM a few minutes after Class News broke the news that:

“I put across a petition together with my colleagues. I stand by that petition and I am awaiting the response from the Council of Elders. I got information that the Council of Elders will be meeting tomorrow and that they have called the General Secretary and members of the NEC to meet them on the issue."

“So, I am surprised and I have not authorized any individual or group of people to pick any form in my name.”

Asked whether he will reject the forms, he replied: “You are right, perfectly so.”

This essentially means that the other flagbearer hopefuls are out of the race.

Apart from Mr Mahama, all the other aspirants had expressed reservations about the GHS420,000 filing and nomination fees and threatened to boycott the race.