President Mahama picks nomination forms and asks for unity

President John Dramani Mahama has called on the rank and file of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to bury their differences by forging ahead to become a formidable side in this year's December general election. This he said they could do by pooling their resources together and by patching up all disputes and disagreements that existed amongst them over the years. President Mahama made this call when he picked nomination form to contest to become the Presidential candidate of the NDC for the December polls. The NDC Constitution makes provision for the flag bearer of the party to be elected 12 months for the Presidential election, so the death of the late President Mills had put the NDC in an awkward position, compelling them to choose another leader for the elections. The NDC National Executive Council, therefore, relied on Article 50 of their constitution, which confers on the NEC the power to make regulations for dealing with matters for which no provision has been made for in the party's constitution. President Mahama paid GH¢5,000 for the nomination form to the General Secretary of the NDC at the party's headquarters and would be paying an additional GH¢20,000.00 on submission, before which a total of 1,157 people from all the 230 constituencies of the country including him would have signed the form.   Upon completion of the form, the party would hold a congress to endorse his candidature at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, after which they would go ahead the same day to launch the NDC's campaign at the Kumasi Jubilee Park. President Mahama commended the National Executive Council of the party for following the due process and the laws and regulations guiding the nomination of candidates for the party. "I feel satisfied that the rules have been followed", he said. The President thanked the NEC and all members of the NDC for the confidence reposed in him, and indicated that he would use the opportunity to bring all the party members together. President Mahama assured party members of peaceful and successful election, and indicated that the party would then have the opportunity to kick-off the electioneering campaign after the launch of their campaign. Mr Asiedu Nketia General Secretary of the party said since the NDC constitution provided that when the party was in power, the flag bearer must 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.   He said the NEC was, therefore, empowered by Article 50 of the NDC Constitution, which empowered it to take decisions in such circumstances. He said by the NDC constitution, the President was the leader of the party, and indicated that with the demise of President Mills, the then Vice-President Mahama, who had assumed the position of the President was the leader of the party. Consequently, he said, the NEC was right in nominating him as the flag bearer for congress to endorse him.

 

GNA