Story: Desmond Darko (The Catalyst)

The Catalyst can authoritatively state that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has decided to go for an early delegates’ congress to elect its presidential candidate for the 2012 elections.

Impeccable information chanced upon by the paper over the weekend indicates therefore that, all things being equal, the NDC will hold its presidential primary in May, seven clear months before December, which is supposed to be the actual date for the event.

This means that nominations will be opened very soon for persons, interested in leading the ruling party into the 2012 elections as its flagbearer, to pick up forms and file their nominations.

The Catalyst has also learnt that the NDC hierarchy has agreed on the need for the party to hold an early congress in order to put to rest the internal wrangling within it with regard to who leads it into the next general elections. This, the party thinks is necessary because once a flagbearer is elected, both the party and the Mills-led government will have the peace of mind to focus on delivering the ‘Better Ghana’ programme.

It is not clear yet as to how many persons are interested in the NDC flagbearership for 2012.

President Mills was the first to declare his intention to take yet another shot at the flagbearership of the NDC and subsequently, the presidency for a second term.

Former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings’s who is also a vice chairman of the party, has been rumoured to be interested in vying for the presidential candidature of the NDC in 2012 but is yet to declare her ambition. Normally, the NDC when in government, elects its flagbearer a year to the general elections, and in opposition, the party goes through the process two years before the next general elections are held.