NDC Goes to Polls On Saturday ... 8,500 Delegates to Decide Fate of 65 Aspirants

By Jonathan Donkor

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) says all is set for its national delegate's conference this Saturday at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra, where the party will elect new National Executive Committee (NEC) members.

A total of 8,500 delegates are expected to decide the fate of 65 aspirants who are vying for NEC positions including Chairman, General Secretary and National Organiser, Communications Director and their respective deputies.

The acting Director of Elections of the NDC, Mr Bede Ziedeng, told the Ghanaian Times on Wednesday that preparations were underway as the various committees were working assiduously.

"So far, preparations are going well. The planning committee and all sub committees are doing what is expected of them to ensure that everything goes on smoothly. All is set for the conference," he said.

Delegates from the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Brong Ahafo regions, Mr Ziedeng said, would arrive on Friday while those from the other regions, would arrive on Saturday morning.

According to him, security and all other measures had been put in place to ensure "absolute law and order" although it was expected that delegates would be of their best behaviour.

To ensure a free and fair election, Mr Ziedeng said the party guaranteed a level playing ground for all aspirants and that it was believed that all aspirants had had the ample time to win the hearts of the delegates.

For this same reason, he said there would be no room for vote buying at the conference and therefore advised aspirants and delegates to conduct themselves according to the rules of the conference.

Contesting for the chairmanship position include the Director of Elections, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, a former General Secretary Hudu Yahaya and former Trade and Industry Minister and former legislator for Keta, Dan Abodakpi.

Others are Betty Mould-Iddrisu, a former Attorney General and vice chairperson and Daniel Annan.

For the General Secretary, the incumbent, Johnson Asiedu Nketia would lock horns with his deputy Koku Anyidoho, for the position the former had held for more than a decade.

Former National Organiser, Yaw Boateng Gyan ; a former Member of Parliament for the Akwatia Constituency in the Eastern Region, Baba Jamal; a National Vice Chairperson, Anita Desoso and Communication Director , Solomon Nkansah would battle it out for the National Organiser slot.

Delegates would choose between outspoken member of the party, Sammy Gyamfi and Fred Agbenyo. The NEC, once in place, would appoint the national treasurer and deputies.

The conference comes barely a month after the party's youth and women's conference in the Central Region, during which a former Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Hanna Bissiw, was elected the National Women's Organiser.

Former Municipal Chief Executive of Akuapem North, George Opare Addo, was elected as the National Youth Organiser.

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