NDC Polls: Postpone presidential primaries over flawed register – Duffuor’s team

The campaign team of Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, a flagbearer aspirant for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is demanding the postponement of the May 13 presidential primaries over what he describes as a flawed register.

A petition was sent to the electoral commission and the election committee of NDC, on May 8, 2023, under the signature of Kofi Kukubor, Head of Research and Strategy with the campaign team of Dr. Duffuor stated that extensive review of the voters register or photo album for 220 Constituencies have identified several discrepancies that render the register incomplete or inaccurate.

The campaign team said going into the election with such a register undermines the credibility and integrity of the election, and is capable of causing irreparable damage to the flagbearer hopeful Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, therefore, demanding the following:

1. Postponement of the May 13th Presidential Primaries

2. Stakeholders meeting to establish an agreeable roadmap that will guarantee the integrity of the voter register

3. Clean the register within an agreeable timeframe to ensure a free and fair election

4. To save the image of the NDC so that the party can have a credible voice so that the party can speak on national election matters when the need arises.

The aspiring presidential candidate Dr. Kwabena Duffuor has said earlier that the May 13 presidential primaries must be free, fair and transparent to ensure unity after the elections.

Speaking on Agoo FM in Nkawkaw Friday, May 5, 2023, to wrap up his 4-day campaign tour to the Eastern region Dr. Kwabena Duffuor said inaccessibility to the final compiled register a week before the polls was disturbing.

He backed his campaign team’s petition to the Electoral Commission in this regard.

“Today is 5th May, we are going to the polls on the 13th May but we have not received the register which is going to be used for the election. So my campaign team is demanding the release of the register. We have written to the party so we are waiting for them. There are rules and regulations about any election. My name could be conspicuously missing during the day of the election, what will I do in that situation? Am I going to fight or what, no. Reason we want to get access to the register to ensure that all qualified delegates are on the register,” Dr Duffuor lamented.

The former finance minister and governor of the central bank of Ghana Dr. Duffuor added “Why is the register not out? If this happened in national elections and it is just a week ahead what would they have done? We are not litigating, we just want to have access to the register to ensure every qualified delegate’s name is on the register so we go to the polls to vote fairly and peacefully. I am praying that they do the right things.”

Nonetheless, he called on his supporters to remain calm and peaceful to ensure unity in the NDC after the election to enable the party to defeat the ruling New Patriotic Party in the 2024 general election

Former finance minister and governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Duffuor is contesting the presidential primaries with former president John Dramani Mahama and former mayor of Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Kojo Bonsu.