Accra, Feb. 23, GNA - Four people, including the incumbent, Mr. Jonathan Nii Tackie Komme, have collected forms to contest the Odododiodioo constituency seat in this year's elections on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The other three are Mr. Benjamin Okai, Vice Chairman, Mr. Abbas Cofie, Executive Member and Mr. Walid Anyetei Laryea, who was disqualified during vetting for the 2005 by-election in the area.
All the four contestants collected and paid the 50 Ghana Cedis fee for the forms on the first day nomination opened on Tuesday and were expected within the two-week period to submit the filled forms with a non-refundable bank draft for 1,000 Ghana cedis or 10 million cedis. This was made known by the Constituency Chairman, Mr. Daniel Nii Okai, at a meeting of all the branches during which he outlined a programme to revive the three wards of the NDC in the area.
He explained that after the submission of the forms, the contestants would be vetted by the Constituency and Regional executives together to find out their suitability and approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC) based on the recommendation of the Vetting Committee. Mr. Okai stated that after the NEC scrutiny and approval a date for a Constituency Delegates Conference would be fixed to decide on who would contest the elections as the Parliamentary Candidate of the NDC. The Constituency Chairman, who announced a major re-organisation of the party in the area announced days for the meetings of the three wards, Korle Workon, Ngleshie and Kinka and the special ward at Old Fadama.
He named the Ward Executives as the Coordinator, Secretary and the Organizer and urged the Wards to nominate six people each to be trained as Polling Agents as soon as possible.
Mr. Festus Bekoe, Constituency Second Vice Chairman, stressed the need for party discipline, especially in this election year to ensure that the NDC retained the seat.
He called on as many qualified party members as possible who wished to become MPs to collect nomination forms and honour the financial commitment that went into it to enable the party to get more money in its coffers. Mr. Bekoe stressed the neutrality of the executives in the exercise and promised that they would create "a level playing field" for all of them to contest.
He announced a membership drive to get more supporters to brighten the chances of the NDC to win the elections. Nii Tackie Komme commended the executives for initiating the programme to strengthen party structures to ensure victory for the party.
He enumerated some of his achievements in his two years in office as MP and called on the people to remain united and to work hard for the NDC to form the next government. 23 Feb. 08
