The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) showed ill-preparation in the organization of its internal elections, sparking confusion, anger, fights and the destruction of properties in some constituencies across the country, despite the constant postponement it has witnessed over a year.
The weekend’s event, portrayed a party that is in a hurry, but not well organized. It is supposed to hold it regional executive election this coming weekend and start making arrangement for the national executive elections in December.
Some of the delegates for the constituency elections, openly expressed frustrations at the outcome of the event, saying it is a wrong signal for the largest opposition party in its attempt to wrestle power from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
In some instances, the National Elections Committee of the NDC, suspended at least 25 constituencies nationwide from partaking in the constituency elections which together with the regional and national executive elections, have been postponed several times.
In the Greater Accra Region, there was massive confusion in Ablekuma North Constituency.
Ballot papers, just like other constituencies in the region, had no serial numbers with aspirants calling for the elections to be postponed.
In the case of Madina, things did not look organized and after hours of waiting, the elections were canceled with people complaining about the regional administration and its election’s management.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Madina Constituency, Francis-Xavier Sosu, has described as “very disappointing” the postponement of the constituency election due to insufficient Ballot Papers.
The Herald learnt that out of 2, 800 delegates only 800 ballot papers had arrived for the election at the time the election was called off.
According to the opposition party, the decision was taken due to disputes over their alleged omission from the electoral register.
The NDC, had slated its internal elections for Saturday, October 22 and Sunday, October 23, 2022, to elect be its executives at the constituency level, however, the expected exercise was greeted with differences among delegates and the executives in some constituencies over registrar problems.
In the Ashanti Region, some irate youths at Suame on Thursday, October 20, vandalized the party office, whiles expressing their displeasure for alleged omission of their names from the album.
Calm was restored in the area awaiting the election, but they have threatened to further bare teeth to their leaders if they fail to find solutions to their concerns.
In ensuring the exercise goes on smoothly, the National Elections Committee of the NDC, announced the decision to put the elections in ‘these tension-constituencies’ on hold.
The pronouncement was made in a statement issued by the party’s Deputy Director of Elections, Daniel Amartey Mensah, Friday, October 21, 2022.
The suspended constituencies have 12 out of the 25 from the Eastern Region, whiles the Greater Accra Region have seven.
Other regions, including the Central, Volta and Western Regions, also have two of its constituencies each suspended.
The Upper East Region, also had one suspended.
The statement said “the National Elections Committee under the guidance of FEC [Functional Executive Committee], has decided to put elections in a few constituencies on hold due to disputes over delegates list for those constituencies and/or the exclusion from ballot papers of candidates who have been qualified through the appeal process.
“The party has also directed all constituencies to include candidates who have been duly cleared to contest through the appeal process on their ballot papers and exclude candidates who have been disqualified through the appeals process from the ballot papers,” it added.
The Functional Executive Committee thus charged the party executives at the suspended constituencies to comply with the order because “failure to strictly adhere to this directive will render any election illegal, hence a nullity, and appropriate sanctions will be applied to any person found culpable.”
“Further to FEC’s earlier directive for all constituency elections in respect of all 17 elective positions to be held in one day, all Election Committees, candidates and stakeholders should note that the counting of ballots and declaration of results in respect of Youth wing and Women’s Wing elections are to be put on hold until after the conclusion of voting in respect of the constituency election conference,” the statement contains.
The statement further advised all members, delegates, candidates, officials and the Election Committee to strictly abide by the guidelines for the “smooth conduct of the polls in a free, fair, transparent and peaceful manner.”
In Upper Denkyira West of the Central Region, over 500 delegates were left stranded as the ballots for Saturday’s constituency elections, failed to reach the voting centre at Denkyira Subin.
According to incumbent Constituency Chairman, John Kay, the ballots were burnt and officials of the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) attacked by some unknown assailants.
He accused his challenger, Peter Nana Boamah, for the mayhem.
Chairman John Kay, told delegates that his challenger, who only defected from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) some months ago, instructed his thugs to perpetrate the attacks.
Therefore, the elections were bound to be cancelled just like many others in the Central Region.
The delegates, most of whom got angry because they had travelled long distances to the voting centre, threatened to boycott all activities of the party if the elections were cancelled.
Consequently, chairman John Kay told all gathered that he had the permission of the regional chairman and the National Chairman for the elections to go ahead whatever means possible.
And so he instructed delegates to place two boxes at the voting centre and put in quickly printed “ballots” for their preferred candidates – him or Nana Boamah.
The elections, was started without the EC officials.
Also in the Central Region, most NDC delegates who thronged the Adisadel College park for Saturday’s constituency elections, were left disappointed as the album and the ballots were not ready.
After waiting for several hours in the morning, the delegates were asked to return home and come the following day, Sunday, October 23, for the exercise.
Thomas Vincent Cann, a Secretary to the Central Region Communications Officer, Eric Offei, said the ballot papers for the elections were not ready, therefore, called for calm among delegates.
This comes in the wake of injunctions on some constituencies. Most of the delegates expressed frustrations at the outcome of the event, saying it is a wrong signal for the largest opposition party in its attempt to wrestle power from the NPP.
According to them, if the party cannot organize such an internal election, it begs the question if they can manage the country.
Some aspirants, however, took advantage to continue to campaign despite expressing worry and disappointment.
They urged the delegates to show up on Sunday to vote.
Voting, however, went on in some constituencies, including Assin South, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem and Awutu Senya West.
The NDC is electing its constituency executives on Saturday and Sunday. The party will then elect regional executives in November before going for the national executive elections on Saturday, December 17.
Francis-Xavier Sosu, took to facebook on Saturday, to write “it is very disappointing that the Madina NDC Constituency Elections, have been postponed due to insufficient Ballot Papers.
“Honestly, it was such a difficult moment seeing the efforts of aspirants and delegates go down the drain for no fault of theirs.
“The day began well. As early as 5:30am, the EC officials and various aspirants had worked hard to have an excellent set-up that was going to deliver one of the best elections in MADINA Constituency race ever.
“The Regional Executives kept promising that ballot papers will be delivered for the elections to start. Hour after hour was accompanied by promise after promise. Eventually, I had to acquire 20 Street lights and an electrical pole to increase illumination in the event that voting delays further.
“Finally, when the ballot papers came in at around 12:15pm, it was only that of 10 out of the 17 positions being contested. Worse of all, the ballot papers had no serial numbers.
“Honestly, it was super disappointing. I wish to serve notice to the Regional Administration that we in MADINA will not settle for anything less. Our delegates have been very much inconvenienced and so have been the candidates.
“We demand that the Regional Executives of the GAR NDC step up their game and get all the needed ballots ready with their appropriate serial numbers by Thursday, and same sent to the Constituency by Friday, 28th October, 2022,” adding, “We won’t tolerate what happened today in MADINA anymore. Notice is hereby served!
