PNC youth wing rejects Council of Elders' Congress impasse resolution

The youth wing of the People’s National Convention (PNC) has rejected the decision of the party’s Council of Elders to postpone the upcoming internal primaries in favour of the September 26 date set by the party’s five-time flagbearer Dr Edward Mahama.

In a statement to the press following a tussle over when the elections could be held, the Council of Elders announced that the party will hold its National Congress on Saturday, 26 September 2020 to elect its presidential candidate for the 2020 General Elections and the National Executive officers. The elders held an emergency meeting in Accra on Saturday, 22 August 2020, to intervene and resolve the issue.

They stated that “nominations shall remain open at all regions of the country for all aspirants who are contesting for positions of the party till 31st of August 2020.”

A statement signed by the Chairman of the Council of Elders, Col Luri Boyorbor, also stated that submissions of forms by the aspirants must be done by close of work on Monday, the 7th of September 2020.

But the national youth wing of the party says they only recognise the earlier statement signed by the national chairman of the party announcing September 19 as the date for the congress.

National Youth Organiser of the PNC, Awudu Ishaq told Class News the Council of Elders, by their intervention, is attempting to usurp the powers of the national chairman, a situation which, according to him, could affect the fortunes of the party.

He said: “So, as far as the youth of the party are concerned, congress is scheduled for the 19th and not the 22nd. We do not recognise any other communication apart from that issued and has the signature of the national chairman….26th September cannot be in the best interest of the party because if you look at the electoral calendar of the Electoral Commission, we must hold congress latest by that 19th date to ensure that the party organises very well and fall in line with that particular electoral calendar of the electoral commission.

“The 26th will mean that the party would have been lagging in terms of catching up with the activities as proposed by the Electoral Commission in its electoral calendar…

“The people who have been constituted into the Council of Elders are very respectable personalities within the party but on this particular matter, I think they want to usurp the powers of NEC to please Dr Edward Mahama.”