The election of a flagbearer of the NDC would this time solely depend on the decision of majority of delegates at a congress called for that purpose and nothing else, Sly Akakpovie, the NDC Ashanti regional secretary has explained in a statement.
“This time round election of flagbearer of the party shall be elected by majority of voices of accredited delegates at a special delegates congress called for that purpose and not by resolutions, popular acclamations and declarations.”
The party scribe was reacting to the purported decision of 21 constituency chairmen in Ashanti contained in a resolution passed at Obuasi in support of Prof John Evans Atta mills candidature to contest the 2004 elections.
The signatories of the said resolution had declared their support for the former veep and claimed that their decision was based on widespread consultations with the party membership at the grassroots levels. But the party’s Ashanti secretariat says the decision per the resolution is “frivolous, preponderant, null and void and of no effect.”
According to Akakpovie, five delegates from each constituency shall be entitled to attend a congress to elect the flabgbearer. “So far, no constituency in Ashanti has held a congress to elect its five delegates let alone attend a congress to elect a flagbearer.”
Akakpovie said the secretariat viewed the declaration as a show of sycophancy and that the resolution did not depict any genuine and organised support for contestants. The regional scribe said the resolution was in negation to and violation of the decision of the national executive council (NEC) which warned against the issue of statements in support of one candidate for the flagbearership by groups, organs and affiliate structures.
He explained that in accordance with regulations adopted by the NEC for the election of a presidential candidate, no constituency chairman or anybody else either acting alone or in concert with others could pass a resolution declaring the so-called “unflinching support” for one contestant or the other.
He reminded membership of the party that equal opportunity, fairness and transparency shall be exhibited towards all contestants during campaigns and the election process and that all contestants shall have equal and unfettered access to all regional constituency structures without hindrance of any sort.
