Baba Jamal wins NDC primaries

Takorase (E/R), Jan. 13, GNA- Baba Jamal Akmed, the Deputy National Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been elected the parliamentary candidate of the party at a constituency primaries at Takorase on Saturday.

Baba Jamal who had contested the parliamentary elections for the party twice and lost, polled 176 votes as against 5 votes by his contestant, Mr Kwadwo Obeng Darko, a businessman, who had filed to contest the primaries, but was not present at the delegates conference. According to officials of the party, though they have heard on air the announcement by Mr Darko that he was pulling out of the primaries the previous night, officially the party had not received any document from him to that effect, hence the party regarded him as a candidate in the primaries.

In all, 181 delegates out of the 214 delegates of the party in the constituency were present at the primaries and cast their votes all of which were declared valid.

The primaries, which received much publicity due to media speculations that the founder of the party, former President Jerry John Rawlings had expressed his support for Mr Darko, who announced on air at the last minute that he was withdrawing from the primaries because of poor security.

The Kwaebibirim District Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Gariel Odei, who supervised the elections, which was conducted in a peaceful atmosphere, congratulated the delegates for the efficient manner they voted.

He advised them to educate their party supporters to cast their votes in the same way as they go round campaigning so that the constituency could record less number of spoiled ballot papers during the national elections.

In his victory speech, Baba Jamal thanked the delegates for their support and also extended his appreciation to the founder of the party, former President Rawlings for finding time to visit the constituency, when he had information that "something was happening in the Akwatia Constituency to offer a helping hand".

He urged all members of the party to put behind them whatever happened prior to the primaries and to join hands in unity to fight for final victory of the party in the constituency.

Baba Jamal assured the delegates that he would call Mr Darko on telephone to discuss how they could work together to ensure victory for the party in the constituency come December. The Deputy National organizer of the Party, Mr Yaw Djan said there was no victor or vanquished in the primaries, but rather the party and expressed his appreciation for the peaceful and orderly manner the election was conducted.

He said whatever happened in the constituency before the primaries "was an NDC family affair that could best be handled in the NDC home". He invited Mr Darko to join the NDC family of Akwatia Constituency to contribute in whatever way possible to ensure that the party wins the December elections.

Madam Clarke Kwasie, National Treasurer of the party called on members and sympathizers of the party to contribute whatever they could to ensure the success of the party at the December elections. The Eastern Regional Secretary of the party, Mr Anthony Gyampoh, said all indications points to an NDC victory in this year's elections, and that it was important that all the structures of the party are properly organized.