..but party lawyers rush to court to get hearing on Friday
The Electoral Commission (EC) has closed shop on the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) refusing to supervise its presidential and parliamentary primaries due to the injunction filed by ex-Finance Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, a flagbearer aspirant.
But while at it, lawyers for the opposition party were filing for an abridgement of time at the courts to have the suit heard on Friday, May 12. The party had prayed the High Court to have the suit heard on Thursday, May 11but this was turned down for Friday, instead.
At a meeting held on Wednesday, May 10, the Chairperson of the EC Jean Mensa, announced that “in order that we are not cited for contempt, the Commission has taken the decision not to supervise the conduct of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections until after the determination of the case by the court.”
Subsequently, a meeting between the EC and the NDC to address outstanding issues ahead of Saturday’s primaries has been canceled by the election management body.
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However, the Director of Legal Affairs, Abraham Amaliba, the court decided to accommodate the application on Friday, May 12 after giving the pretext that Thursday was impossible.
Dr. Duffuor on Tuesday, May 9, filed the interlocutory injunction against the party’s presidential and parliamentary primaries days after alleging plans to rig the primaries for ex-President John Mahama.
The EC in a statement said that its Chairperson, Jean Mensa and her two Deputies, Samuel Tettey, Deputy Chairman, Operations, Eric Bossman Asare, Deputy Chairman, Corporate Services met with the leadership of the NDC team and representatives of the Presidential Aspirants on Wednesday 10th May 2023.
The meeting was held at the Offices of the Commission and the purpose of the meeting was to communicate the Commission’s decision regarding its supervision of the upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary Primaries of the NDC slated for Saturday 13th May 2023.
The Chairperson informed the meeting that in view of the injunction seeking to restrain the Commission from supervising the conduct of the Primaries, the Commission had taken the decision not to go ahead with supervising the conduct of the elections until after the determination of the case by the court.
All the Representatives present expressed agreement with the position of the Commission.
The meeting which was attended by Mr. Johnson Asiedu-Nketia, representing the NDC, Dr. Peter Otokunor representing Mr. John Dramani Mahama, Mr Rojo Mettle-Nunoo representing Dr. Kwabena Duffuor and Mr. Mohammed Alhassan representing Mr. Kojo Bonsu was cordial and successful.
The NDC’s Elections Committee has indicated that the party is making the necessary arrangements to meet the campaign team of one of the party’s flagbearer aspirants, Dr. Duffuor to ensure that Saturday’s primaries are not suspended.
Dr. Duffour’s team had written to the General Secretary of the party raising concerns over alleged discrepancies in the register to be used for the primaries.
A spokesperson for the NDC’s Elections Committee, Maadi Jibril said the suit did not come to the party as a surprise as such things are anticipated in any election.
“Any effort that will delay the elections for even a minute, whether intentional or unintentional, we will call it an effort to delay the elections. We are already late to elect a flagbearer. We should have elected our flagbearer in January. So anything that will delay the process even for a minute, the party will have to be up for it.”
“We are continuing to do some engagement, but I know that the Electoral Commission has said they cannot organise the election since there is an injunction, but if there is a resolution, they will be ready to organise the elections,” Mr. Jibril added.
The suit by Dr. Duffuor is to bar the NDC and the Electoral Commission from holding the primaries pending the production of a complete photo album register.
The former Finance Minister also wants the party to deliver the complete register to him at least five weeks ahead of the election.
According to the plaintiff, data from only 220 out of the 275 constituencies have been verified. An exceptional list of 74,799 he adds has been created which cannot also be verified because of scanty information.
For no credible reason, 3,910 eligible voters at the 220 constituencies have been disenfranchised,” Dr. Duffuor’s writ read in parts.
He further makes a point, the photo album put out by the electoral directorate of the NDC with the knowledge, consent, and tacit approval of the general secretary of the party would compromise the integrity of the election to his detriment.
“The Plaintiff maintains that the reluctance to extend the time for the internal elections and provide a complete and credible photo album register ahead of time to the presidential aspirants for verification smacks of a plan to create an undue advantage for manipulation of the presidential primaries”, the motion added.
Kwabena Duffuor had complained of some discrepancies in the party’s voter register and called on the National Executive of the party to postpone the upcoming primaries, but the party stated that the primaries will proceed accordingly.
Speaking on 3FM‘s Hot Edition on Wednesday, May 10, Mr Amaliba said most “of the things for which [Dr Duffuor and his camp] have gone to court are borne out of ignorance. They need education”.
He told host Alfred Ocansey on Wednesday, May 10 that it was possible that most of the grievances enlisted by the Duffuor camp could have been settled without any court intervention.
