Politics of Wednesday, 10 May 2023

Source: peacefmonline.com

NDC primaries: I hope there’ll be no drop of blood - Prof. Kofi Agyekum

Head of Linguistics at the University of Ghana, Professor Kofi Agyekum play videoHead of Linguistics at the University of Ghana, Professor Kofi Agyekum

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) will this Saturday, May 13, hold its presidential primaries to elect the candidate to lead the party into the 2024 elections.

Three aspirants in the persons of former President John Dramani Mahama, former Minister of Finance, Dr. Kwabena Duffour and former Mayor of Kumasi, Kojo Bonsu are contesting the presidential race.

However, John Mahama stands a greater chance of winning the primaries as he is seen to be the favourite among the three.

As the party gears up for Saturday’s elections, the Head of Linguistics at the University of Ghana, Professor Kofi Agyekum has admonished the delegates to desist from violence and anything that may cause mayhem during the primaries.

He advised them to engage in a peaceful elections, bearing in mind the importance of they returning home after the elections without having a scratch on their body nor causing any form of harm to any other person.

“I hope that at the end of the elections on Saturday, there will be no drop of blood or hear reports of someone in the custody of the Police for engaging in violence,” he said during Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' show.

He wished the Presidential candidates all the best in the elections.

Meanwhile, in recent development prior to the primaries, Dr. Kwabena Duffour is seeking a postponement of the primaries over what he describes as a flawed register.

A petition has been sent to the Electoral Commission and Election Committee of NDC on May 8, 2023 under the signature Kofi Kukubor, Head of Research and Strategy with the campaign team of Dr. Duffuor stating an extensive review of the voters' register or photo album for 220 constituencies has identified several discrepancies that render the register inaccurate.

Speaking on Agoo FM in Nkawkaw on Friday, May 5, 2023 to wrap up his 4-day campaign tour to the Eastern Region, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor lamented; “…we 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.”