NDC clears Abuga Pele to contest Chiana-Paga Primaries

The ruling national Democratic Congress (NDC) has shot itself in the foot in its fight against corruption by clearing Hon. Abuga Pele former GYEEDA coordinator who currently faces criminal prosecution by the state to contest in the NDC primaries in Chaina-Paga on July 9 2016.

Abuga Pele faces five counts of wilfully causing financial loss to the state to the tune of GH 3,330,568,53 two counts of abetment and one count of intentionally misapplying public property.

On being re-nominated as the flagbearer of the NDC to contest the 2016 elections, President John Mahama cited the on-going criminal prosecution of the sitting MP for Chiana-Paga by his own government as clear evidence of his government's indiscriminate fight against corruption.

The NDC held its parliamentary primaries in November 2015 in almost all the constituencies in the country.

However the Chiana- Paga primaries has remained on hold for well over six months.

Speculations have been that the NDC party hierarchy have made frantic efforts to talk Mr. Pele out of the contest during the past several months due to his on-going criminal trial but the MP fearing the possibility of going to jail has sought to use his re-entry into parliament as a form of indemnity.

Mr. Pele has therefore remained adamant with the argument that he has not yet been convicted of any crimes.

NDC party insiders say, Mr. Pele has powerful allies within the party hierarchy including the national chairman Mr. Kofi Portophy and President's brother Ibrahim Mahama who are backing him and insists that the MP must be allowed to contest parliamentary primaries despite facing criminal trial by his own party-government.

EOCO sources have also hinted that the economic crimes office have written to parliament to inform them that Mr. Abuga Pele is their subject of investigation into economic crimes at GYEEDA.

It remains to be seen how the NDC can reconcile the contradiction of having to allow a man on criminal trial to run on their ticket whiles at the same time using him as an example of the fight against corruption.

However information picked up by this reporter indicate that the MP is facing a daunting challenge from one Lawyer Rudolf Nsorwinne Amenga-Etego who is believed most likely to defeat Mr. Pele for which reason the NDC is comfortable allowing the MP to contest the primaries.

There are however suggestions within the NDC that Abuga Pele will be hard to beat considering that he appears to have more cash than the rest of his contenders in the race.

The Chiana-Paga NDC primaries will see over 11,000 card bearing members casting their votes to elect a parliamentary candidate come July 9. Some believe that the huge numbers involved will minimize the influence of money in the final outcome.

What is very clear is that the NDC will have a very difficult task explaining itself to the Ghanaian electorate on corruption should hon. Abuga Pele emerge as winner in the Chiana-Paga Primaries.