Dr. Jonathan Asante Okyere, a Political and Governance Analyst, says that although Dr. Kwabena Duffour had the right to go to court, the manner in which he did so is questionable.
He said this following the Electoral Commission (EC’s) withdrawal from supervising the NDC’s upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary Primaries.
The EC on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 said it will not be able to supervise the conduct of the NDC’s Presidential and Parliamentary primaries slated for Saturday, 13th May 2023 until the determination of a suit filed by one of the Presidential aspirants, Dr Kwabena Duffour.
The EC explained that Dr Kwabena Duffour had served it with an Application for Interlocutory Injunction “seeking to restrain the Electoral Commission from supervising the conduct of the Presidential and Parliamentary Primaries” and that it (EC) will be unable to supervise Saturday’s election.
In a letter addressed to the General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Kwetey, the EC said, “Further to our meeting this afternoon on the above-mentioned subject, we write to formally inform you that having been served with an Application For Interlocutory Injunction seeking to restrain the Electoral Commission from supervising the conduct of the Presidential and Parliamentary Primaries of the National Democratic Congress, the Commission will not be able to supervise the conduct of the said Elections slated for Saturday, 13th May 2023 until after the determination of the matter.”
Dr. Kwabena Duffour has argued that the photo album register issued by the party is incomplete and inaccurate hence the court action.
He further wants the party to be ordered to prepare and deliver a complete and accurate Photo Album Register to all the presidential aspirants at least five weeks ahead of the elections to enable the aspirants to carry out the needed verification of the Photo Album Register.
Read Also: “We’re unable to supervise your election until legal matters are resolved”- EC to NDC
Speaking on Atinka TV‘s current affairs show, “The Agenda” with Nana Yaw Fianko, Dr Jonathan Asante questioned if Dr Duffour’s suit was ill motivated or motivated out of malice considering the time.
“He had genuine reasons for going to court, but the manner in which he did it was not the best. You wrote a letter on Monday that you are going to court on Thursday if the NDC does not put things in place and then you go to court on Tuesday. That really unsettles the electoral directorate and the national executives,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said what the NDC must do is to ensure that the issues raised are addressed before Saturday so that they can go ahead with the election.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori