The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) will not supervise the presidential and parliamentary primaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) until all legal issues have been resolved.
This is due to an injunction filed by a flagbearer aspirant Dr Kwabena Duffuor.
According to the EC, organising the primaries will disrespect the judiciary since it amounts to contempt of court.
At a meeting held on Wednesday, May 10, the Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa, announced that “in order that we are not cited for contempt, the commission has taken the decision not to supervise the conduct of the presidential and parliamentary elections until after the determination of the case by the court.”
Subsequently, the election management body has cancelled a meeting between the EC and the NDC to address outstanding issues ahead of Saturday’s primaries.
On Tuesday, May 9, NDC flagbearer aspirant, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, filed an interlocutory injunction against parties involved in the presidential and parliamentary primaries.
In a writ filed at an Accra High Court, Dr Duffour indicated that the NDC party failed to provide the required photo album register five weeks before the elections in accordance with the party’s rules.
He stated that a partial photo album register was given to his team on May 4, a few days before the elections, rather than in March when they had submitted a request for one.
“The plaintiff adds that to their utmost surprise, upon verification, it was found that the number of constituencies on the hard drive given to his representatives was 220 in number as opposed to the alleged number of 228 constituencies indicated by the defendant,” he stated.
“The plaintiff adds further that an initial verification of the said 220 constituencies on the hard drive given to his representatives by the 2nd defendant established basic errors and inaccuracies that render the photo album register inaccurate and unreliable for a free, fair and credible election.”
Dr Duffour added that despite his request to postpone the elections until a full photo album register is secured, the party has failed to heed his request.
Thus, he asked the court to grant an interlocutory injunction to restrain the party and sued persons – General Secretary, Election Director, co-contestants John Mahama and Kojo Bonsu, and the Electoral Commission – from holding the elections scheduled for May 13.