The Electoral Commission (EC) says it cannot supervise the primaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday, May 13, 2023, until the court sanctions it.
The EC Boss, Jean Mensa said until all legal issues associated with the elections are resolved, it cannot be involved in the process.
The EC believes going ahead to organize the primaries will be disrespecting the judiciary since it amounts to contempt of court.
After it met agents of all the three flagbearer hopefuls of the NDC, the EC Boss confirmed that her outfit was “served with an Application for Interlocutory Injunction seeking to restrain the Commission from supervising the conduct of the Presidential and Parliamentary Primaries due to the alleged anomalies with the register.”
“Gentlemen, in order that we are not cited for contempt, the Commission has taken the decision not to supervise the conduct of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections until after the determination of the case by the court,” the Chairperson of the Commission, Madam Jean Mensa said.
A flagbearer aspirant of the NDC, Dr Kwabena Duffour, on Tuesday filed a suit against the party over what he describes as some discrepancies his team had identified in the party’s voters register to be used for the exercise.
He stated that a partial photo album register was given to his team on May 4, a few days before the elections rather than in March when they had submitted a request for one.
“The Plaintiff adds that to their utmost surprise, upon verification, it was found that the number of constituencies on the hard drive given to his representatives was 220 in number as opposed to the alleged number of 228 constituencies indicated by Defendant,” he stated.
“The Plaintiff adds further that an initial verification of the said 220 constituencies on the hard drive given to his representatives by the 2nd Defendant established basic errors and inaccuracies that render the Photo Album Register inaccurate and unreliable for a free, fair and credible election.
Duffuor is seeking, among other things, ” a declaration that the photo album register issued by first and second defenders to the plaintiff on 4th May, 2023, as the primary document for conducting the internal elections of the the National Democratic Congress on the date of May 2023 is incomplete and inaccurate.”
According to the writ, the former Finance Minister also wants the party to deliver the complete register to him at least five weeks ahead of the election.
The first defender in the matter is the NDC General Secretary Fifi Kwetey, the second defender is the NDC Director of the Election Directorate while former president John Mahama is the third defender.
The fourth defender is another presidential aspirant Kojo Bonsu and the fifth defendant is the Electoral Commission.
The High Court where the plaintiff sought the injunction will sit on the matter on May 15, 2023.