We’ll conduct our own elections if EC fails to do so – Asiedu Nketiah

The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has assured that Saturday’s presidential and parliamentary primaries will go ahead as planned.

He said the party has already taken steps to resolve a court suit brought against it by one of its three presidential aspirants, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, which sought to injunct the party from going ahead with the elections.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Friday, May 12, 2023, the NDC’s Chairman said, with the court case now withdrawn, all was set for the party to hold the internal elections.

He commended Dr Duffuor and his team for taking steps to withdraw the court case they initiated against the party.

Mr Asiedu Nketiah, however, urged party members to use the party’s internal structures to resolve any issues they may have with the party before resorting to the court.

He said the party has elaborate structures to deal with all issues regarding internal elections and that it was right for party members to exhaust such structures before going to court.

He further indicated that although the party had entered into an agreement with the Electoral Commission (EC) to conduct the internal elections, the party also reserves the right to use its own mechanisms to conduct the said elections if the EC fails to do so.

He said the party today [Friday, May 12, 2023] held a Zoom meeting with its executives and have come to a conclusion that the internal elections remain an internal affair of the party and no other external party.

He said the party engaged the EC to conduct the election since the EC was a neutral party, however, the party will not allow itself to be taken hostage by the EC.

Mr Asiedu Nketiah admonished aggrieved party members who resort to court not to add the EC as a party to their suit since the party has granted the EC an indemnity concerning their internal elections.