It's extremely useful to have more candidates contest NDC Prez race to prevent undue influence - Sly

Flagbearer hopeful in the upcoming National Democratic Congress presidential race, Sylvester Mensah says it is an extremely useful exercise to have more more candidates to contest the race.

He believes the more the candidates, the less the influence of delegates by some candidates who are seen as the only option.

The NDC is a political party that allows people to go through the mill, learn and grow and so when there is an opportunity to contest for positions, the process must be opened for interested people to contest, he told Kwabena Agyapong on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm on Frontline.

Mr Mensah said, the party has a philosophy that promotes the strengthening of the democratic credentials of the party and imbibing in members the need for members be believers of such a philosophy.

He said, it becomes useful when you have more candidates contesting the race in order to prevent people from influencing candidates to vote for them.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) will commence vetting of presidential aspirants from today [Tuesday].

The party has also settled on February 23 as the day for the primaries.

This comes after an injunction by two party members against election guidelines set for the primary.

The NDC eventually agreed to declare its guidelines for the presidential primaries null and void after contentions over transparency and the filing fees which was reduced along the line.

Besides agreeing to hold the elections in a free fair and transparent manner, the party also agreed to consider the GHc 300,000 not as filing fees only, but also as a contribution by the towards the cost of the primaries.

“When the candidates are cleared by the vetting committee, they will then be presented with the voter’s register,” the NDC National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo noted at a press conference.

The NDC will go to the polls to elect a presidential candidate on February 23, 2019.

The first notice of poll will be made available on January 26, 2019, with the final print done on January 28, 2019.

The printing of ballot papers will then begin on February 3 ahead of the election slated for February 23.

The party has also said there will be 276 polling centres nationwide; a departure from the much-criticised centralised system of voting for the national executives.

Seven aspirants have filled their nominations to contest the primaries including former President John Mahama, who is viewed as the front runner.