President Mahama submits nomination forms
President John Mahama yesterday submitted his nomination forms to pave way for his acclamation by party delegates as the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress in the December elections.
The NDC will on Friday go to congress to acclaim or reject the candidacy of President Mahama following the death of President J.E.A. Mills who was the party’s flag bearer for the 2012 elections.
The usual euphoria that accompany such moments was absent when Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Communication, arrived at the party’s headquarters at 11:05 a.m. to submit the forms on behalf of President Mahama.
President Mahama who is currently on the ‘thank you’ tour of the Upper East Region will join other party functionaries on Friday to decide his fate.
President John Dramani Mahama last Thursday picked nomination forms for the flag bearer position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), calling on the rank and file of the party to iron out their differences and work together to guarantee victory in the December elections.
The General Secretary of the party, Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketiah, said although President Mahama was the sole candidate for the congress, he needed to follow some laid down procedure provided for by the party’s guidelines , the most important of which was to get himself properly nominated and endorsed by the rank and file of the NDC in all the constituencies.
He said the party would communicate its decision to the President after a careful scrutiny of the forms to ensure that it met all the necessary conditions.
“After the Electoral Committee has satisfied itself with the necessary conditions, the President or his representatives will be notified,” Mr Asiedu-Nektiah said, beaming with smiles.
“On the surface, it appears you have satisfied all the conditions but we’ll cross check from the field.”
Mr Iddrisu, presenting the documents which included the President’s first party card since 1992 and the current party card and a cheque for GHc 20,000, said the President who was on his way to Bolgatanga for the ‘thank you’ tour had mandated him to submit the forms.
“He has signed an acceptance page that he is running for the Presidential candidate for the NDC which appeared on the acceptance of nomination as endorsed by Dr Kwabena Adjei, the Party Chairman; the Deputy Youth Organiser, and Barbara Serwa Asamoah.”
The nomination forms indicate that the President was nominated on behalf of the NDC by the party chairman, Dr Adjei, wth the support of Mr Iddrisu on behalf of the NDC Parliamentary Group and seconded by Mr Asiedu-Nketiah; the National Treasurer Mr Kamel Noshie and Alhaji Baba Sheriff, the National Deputy Youth Organiser.
Mr Iddrisu said President Mahama noted that President Mahama insisted that he should be subjected to voting by delegates as his acceptance as the party’s flag bearer and leader.
President Mahama was endorsed by the party’s National Executive Committee on July 26, 2012 to contest the 2012 elections if approved by congress.
The decision although generally accepted by most members of the party has been met with criticism from the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Martin Amidu, who accused party executives of breaching the party’s constitution and imposing the President on the party, leaving members with no choice.
But the party executive maintained that they followed due process in endorsing President Mahama as Article 50 of the party gave the NEC the power to take decisions not captured by the party’s decision as and when the need arose.
The explanation had been that the NDC constitution provided that when the party was in power, the flag bearer needed to be selected 12 months before the election, the NEC was forced to consider other provisions following the demise of President Mills and the fact that it was only about five months to the election.
The NEC then considered Article 47 of the NDC constitution which stipulates how vacancies are fixed, as well as Article 44 which deals with the election of a flag bearer.
According to the party, under the circumstance the NEC could not get anything to hold on to the process of electing or selecting a flag bearer.
That, therefore, meant that the door was shut on the provision of the NDC constitution which required the party to elect a flag bearer 12 months before the election.
But the NEC was empowered by Article 50 of the NDC constitution to take decisions in such circumstances.
Present at the ceremony were the party’s Director of Research, Mr Asamoah Quansah; Prof Agyenim Boateng, the Chairman of the party in the US; Mr Ken Dzirasah, the Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the NDC; Deputy National Organiser, Mr Baba Sheriff; Mr James Asante, the Communications Director of the NDC; Mr Horace Nii Ankrah, the Chairman of the NDC in United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
The NDC will on Friday go to congress to acclaim or reject the candidacy of President Mahama following the death of President J.E.A. Mills who was the party’s flag bearer for the 2012 elections.
The usual euphoria that accompany such moments was absent when Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Communication, arrived at the party’s headquarters at 11:05 a.m. to submit the forms on behalf of President Mahama.
President Mahama who is currently on the ‘thank you’ tour of the Upper East Region will join other party functionaries on Friday to decide his fate.
President John Dramani Mahama last Thursday picked nomination forms for the flag bearer position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), calling on the rank and file of the party to iron out their differences and work together to guarantee victory in the December elections.
The General Secretary of the party, Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketiah, said although President Mahama was the sole candidate for the congress, he needed to follow some laid down procedure provided for by the party’s guidelines , the most important of which was to get himself properly nominated and endorsed by the rank and file of the NDC in all the constituencies.
He said the party would communicate its decision to the President after a careful scrutiny of the forms to ensure that it met all the necessary conditions.
“After the Electoral Committee has satisfied itself with the necessary conditions, the President or his representatives will be notified,” Mr Asiedu-Nektiah said, beaming with smiles.
“On the surface, it appears you have satisfied all the conditions but we’ll cross check from the field.”
Mr Iddrisu, presenting the documents which included the President’s first party card since 1992 and the current party card and a cheque for GHc 20,000, said the President who was on his way to Bolgatanga for the ‘thank you’ tour had mandated him to submit the forms.
“He has signed an acceptance page that he is running for the Presidential candidate for the NDC which appeared on the acceptance of nomination as endorsed by Dr Kwabena Adjei, the Party Chairman; the Deputy Youth Organiser, and Barbara Serwa Asamoah.”
The nomination forms indicate that the President was nominated on behalf of the NDC by the party chairman, Dr Adjei, wth the support of Mr Iddrisu on behalf of the NDC Parliamentary Group and seconded by Mr Asiedu-Nketiah; the National Treasurer Mr Kamel Noshie and Alhaji Baba Sheriff, the National Deputy Youth Organiser.
Mr Iddrisu said President Mahama noted that President Mahama insisted that he should be subjected to voting by delegates as his acceptance as the party’s flag bearer and leader.
President Mahama was endorsed by the party’s National Executive Committee on July 26, 2012 to contest the 2012 elections if approved by congress.
The decision although generally accepted by most members of the party has been met with criticism from the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Martin Amidu, who accused party executives of breaching the party’s constitution and imposing the President on the party, leaving members with no choice.
But the party executive maintained that they followed due process in endorsing President Mahama as Article 50 of the party gave the NEC the power to take decisions not captured by the party’s decision as and when the need arose.
The explanation had been that the NDC constitution provided that when the party was in power, the flag bearer needed to be selected 12 months before the election, the NEC was forced to consider other provisions following the demise of President Mills and the fact that it was only about five months to the election.
The NEC then considered Article 47 of the NDC constitution which stipulates how vacancies are fixed, as well as Article 44 which deals with the election of a flag bearer.
According to the party, under the circumstance the NEC could not get anything to hold on to the process of electing or selecting a flag bearer.
That, therefore, meant that the door was shut on the provision of the NDC constitution which required the party to elect a flag bearer 12 months before the election.
But the NEC was empowered by Article 50 of the NDC constitution to take decisions in such circumstances.
Present at the ceremony were the party’s Director of Research, Mr Asamoah Quansah; Prof Agyenim Boateng, the Chairman of the party in the US; Mr Ken Dzirasah, the Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the NDC; Deputy National Organiser, Mr Baba Sheriff; Mr James Asante, the Communications Director of the NDC; Mr Horace Nii Ankrah, the Chairman of the NDC in United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
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