The director of elections of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has described the ongoing primaries of the party to elect parliamentary candidates as “generally peaceful.”
He said “it has been so far so good” across the 16 regions of Ghana despite pockets of misunderstandings at some areas.
A total of 524 candidates are contesting the internal polls in 157 constituencies out of 275 to represent the largest opposition party in Parliament in the next general elections.
Thirty-nine Members of Parliament are going unopposed. Delegates in 71 constituencies will later to go to the polls to elect their candidates.
Speaking on Starr News, a deputy national youth organiser of the NDC, Edem Agbana, said it will be far-fetched to completely rule out misunderstandings in a human institution.
“Some of these isolated cases are expected,” Agbana told Starr News’ Atiewin Mbillah-Lawson on Saturday.
“Looking for perfection is like looking for sugar in the sea. It is impossible. However, this goes to tell you that the NDC is a family and respects the rule of law. It has been generally peaceful so far,” Agbana stressed.
The party has suspended elections in the Asawase Constituency in the Ashanti region and four other constituencies. They include – Yilo Krobo in the Eastern region, Mpohor (Western region), Ellembelle and Fanteakwa North Constituencies.
A statement signed by the party’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, on Tuesday, August 20, did not indicate when the exercise would be held in the affected areas.
The police and the Electoral Commission of Ghana have both served notice they are ready for a successful exercise.
“We are ready. All the materials have been dispatched to the various areas for the elections,” EC spokesperson Sylvia Annor told Starr News.