NDC’s silence on disqualification questionable – Bernard Mornah

The actions of the Electoral Commission rightly or wrongly are seemed as those that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) wants to happen, Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah has said.

Mornah contends that the governing party’s long silence on the disqualification of some party’s in the 2016 race has fueled the perception that the NDC is in bed with the commission to intentionally block some opposition parties from contesting the Presidential polls.

“This disqualification, you may not take it. The general view is that, ooh the NDC wants these people to be disqualified. Rightly or wrongly it’s seemed that the NDC wants this to be done, and I don’t know what role, the NDC plays in this, you should not take it for granted, and your silence on this disqualification is huge and loud.

The main opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), within 24 hours after the EC’s disqualification of some Presidential aspirants issued a release to sympathize with the 13 presidential aspirants who were disqualified from the 2016 presidential race.

The NPP, in a statement signed by the Chairperson of its Legal and Constitutional Committee, Prof. Mike Oquaye said, “In as much as we agree that the right things be done in the management of our elections, we express our sympathies with the candidates whose nominations have been rejected despite their efforts to meet the requirements of the law.”

“We hope that the legal process, if any, will resolve expeditiously any issues arising from the Electoral Commission’s decision,” the statement added.

Among the disqualified aspirants were the Progressive People’s Party’s (PPP) Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, Hassan Ayariga of the All People’s Congress (APC), the People’s National Convention’s (PNC) Dr. Edward Mahama, and 10 others.”

Commenting on the fall out of the litigation arising from the disqualification on Radio Gold’s Alhaji and Alhaji Saturday, Bernard Mornah said the express concern by the ruling government to show solidarity with those disqualified was very crucial.

“Some political parties have come to sympathize with those that are disqualified. The NDC has been too silent suggesting that they are endorsing the actions of the Electoral Commission and that is not good. And in my party and many that I have come across, they say that this was orchestrated.”