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Director of Legal Affairs of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abraham Amaliba, has insisted that the party has not violated the laws governing the upcoming presidential and parliamentary primaries.
His comments are in reaction to a suit filed against the party by NDC presidential aspirant, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, following what he says are some discrepancies his team has identified in the party’s voters register to be used for the exercise.
In a writ filed at an Accra High Court, Dr. Duffuor indicated that the party failed to provide the required photo album register five weeks ahead of the elections as stated in the party’s rules.
He stated that a partial photo album register was given to his team on May 4, a few days ahead of the elections rather than in March when they had submitted a request for one.
However, speaking on PM Express, Mr. Amaliba says the suit is misconceived.
He explains that the NDC’s electoral guidelines do not mention a photo album, rather a delegates’ list – which he claims all aspirants have been furnished with since March – thus filing a suit concerning the photo album is of poor judgement.
“Let me say that our elections are governed by our own guidelines; they are not governed by the Electoral Commission’s guidelines. So, when you look at our guidelines, they are very clear. The guidelines talks about the delegates’ list. The guidelines do not talk about photo album.
“So, if the guidelines are talking about delegates’ lists the next question to ask is, has the party furnished the aspirants with a delegates’ list? The answer is yes. Yes, that’s why when you look at their writ they have not mentioned the delegates’ list at all. The delegates’ list was given to the aspirants in March when the vetting was concluded.
“So as we speak as we speak now, the party has not violated any of its rules. The delegates’ list has been made available and they have the delegates’ list. The issue of the photo albums that is just an add-on. It’s just an addition that the party itself decided to introduce so as to enhance the electoral process.
“So if you want to go strictly by the guidelines that govern these elections, we have got flouted any regulation. So to hang on, and to be fixated with a photo album and make it look like without the photo album, the elections cannot go on, it is for me, misconceived. So do they have the delegates list? The answer is yes,” he said.
The injunction will be heard on Friday May 12, a day before the scheduled May 13 presidential and parliamentary primaries.
Meanwhile, the NDC is urging all aspirants and party faithful to keep calm as the party’s legal team sort out the issue.
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