The chaos characterising the impending presidential primaries in the NDC has taken a new dimension after Dr Kwabena Duffour formally announced his withdrawal from the National Democratic Congress’ upcoming flagbearership contest.
The former governor of the Bank of Ghana said in a press conference on Friday that his decision was based on his complaints about the procedures surrounding the party’s approaching primaries, particularly the voters register.
He claims that there have been numerous irregularities in the exercise, which the party leadership has not addressed. As a result, he emphasized that he will no longer run for the NDC’s flagbearer position while still maintaining contact with the grassroots.
“As at this time, the party has begun distributing the ballot papers to the various regions and constituencies without our involvement. I wish to reiterate my commitment to the party and grassroots, however my concerns that the party is not ready to conduct free and fair elections is evident for all of us to see,” Dr Duffour said.
“Taking part in such an event will be acting to knowing drinking from a poisoned calabash. After consulting with my support base nationwide, I have been left with no choice but to withdraw as I cannot contest an election blatantly flawed with irregularities regardless of all my effort to draw attention to the same.”
This comes just hours after Dr Duffour abandoned the lawsuit he had brought against the NDC due to what he claimed were inconsistencies in the party’s voter list that will be used in the election.
The NDC argued in court that the majority of the mistakes found by Dr Duffuor’s team have already been corrected. Dr Duffour’s attorneys withdrew the action on his behalf, and the court dismissed the application for an injunction they had submitted.
