The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has resolved to proceed with Mohammed Baba Jamal as its candidate for the Ayawaso East by-election, despite ongoing allegations of vote-buying linked to the party’s recent primary.
Addressing journalists, NDC General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey explained that although a party committee recommended the annulment of the primaries, constitutional and procedural constraints made such an option unfeasible.
According to him, the party’s constitution does not provide for the annulment of an election. In addition, the NDC is under strict time constraints to submit a candidate to the Electoral Commission.
“The committee’s report was to the effect that, ideally, we should have an annulment of the primaries. However, one, the party’s constitution does not have a provision for the annulment of an election. Two, we are time-bound because we need to present a candidate to the Electoral Commission by tomorrow,” Mr. Kwetey stated.
He further noted that annulling the primaries could expose the party to legal challenges from the declared winner, a process the NDC cannot afford given the urgency of the by-election timeline.
“Given these difficulties, and the potential legal challenges that could be mounted by whoever won, the party would not be able to go through such a process without first presenting a candidate,” he added.
As a result, the party has opted to maintain Baba Jamal as its candidate, citing the Electoral Commission’s declaration of him as the winner of the primaries.
“On the back of these considerations, we have no option but to present Baba Jamal, who actually won, according to the Electoral Commission’s declaration,” Mr. Kwetey concluded.
