Politics of Friday, 5 July 2019

Source: peacefmonline.com

NDC sets August 24 for parliamentary primaries, pegs filing fees at GHC 25,000

Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary, NDC play videoJohnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary, NDC

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has slated August 24, 2019, for its parliamentary primaries.

The exercise is expected to take place across all 275 constituencies in the country.

Addressing the press at a press briefing on Thursday, General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia explained that the party has also pegged filing of nominations forms at Twenty Five thousand Ghana cedis (Ghc 25,000.00).

Women and people living with disability have been given a special dispensation where they have been allowed to pay only twelve thousand five hundred Ghana cedis (Ghc 12,500.00) which is half of the original amount for the filing of nominations forms.

Setting the rules of engagement for aspirants, Mr. Asiedu Nketia explained that aspirants must, first of all, satisfy the constitutional requirement which qualifies one to be a Member of Parliament.

He or she must also satisfy the requirements of the party, adding that no one will be disqualified based on normal procedural errors.

However, anyone who tries to defraud by false pretense or impersonation in what ever form faces disqualification.

The party will from 10-12 July open nomination forms in all 275 constituency party offices with the exception of Afram plains where they will pick their nomination forms from the General Secretary of the party at the party headquarters at a non-refundable cost of GHc 2,000.

He added that filing of nomination forms should take place on the 18 and 19 of July, 2019.

Vetting follows immediately from the 24th-25th July throughout the country, whereas various appeals after disqualification should take place on the 29th-31st of July after which they will issue a notice of poll.

Parliamentary primaries is expected to take place on the 24th of August, 2019 at all the 275 constituencies across the country.

"Unlike other political parties which have set different dates for orphan parliamentary constituencies and general parliamentary primaries, the National Democratic Congress will have elections at all 275 constituencies except areas where there will be problems," he added.

He maintained that anybody who wishes to aspire must have fulfilled all conditions and ground rules governing their parliamentary primaries.