Disgruntled NDC members call for re-run of parliamentary primary in Ketu North

Some aggrieved delegates of the opposition National Democratic Congress in Ketu North are accusing the party's National Executive Committee of imposing Eric Edem Agbana on the constituency as the parliamentary candidate for the 2024 election.

According to the group, the party's decision to declare the former National Deputy Youth Organiser as the winner of the May 13 parliamentary primary amidst controversies is undemocratic and not in the party's interest in the constituency.

Enoch Amedegbe, who addressed the press on behalf of the group in Dzodze Thursday, explained, "It is important to note that there was only one declaration of the Ketu North results by the Electoral Commission. No one was declared a winner and later changed for a tie."

On the determination made by the NDC leadership on the matter, the group noted that "this unprecedented declaration has created enormous political tension within the rank and file of the party in Ketu North."

The group cautioned leadership on the implications of what they consider a "retrogressive" decision and urged that the decision is reversed to allow for a re-run of the elections.

"We demand that the National Executive Committee looks at the decision again. Let the re-run be done for the delegates to choose their own parliamentary candidate."

The outcome of the parliamentary primaries in the constituency was thrown into confusion after repeated counting of ballot papers by EC officials brought the election results to a tie (358 votes) for both Eric Edem Agbana and John Adanu Zodanu, who amassed 360 and 359 votes respectively during the initial counting.

This only came to light when subsequent countings revealed that two of Edem Agbana's ballot papers were not stamped, while one ballot paper belonging to John Adanu was also found unstamped.

Three days after the election, a committee led by the party's National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, declared Edem Agbana as the winner of the contest following a meeting with the aggrieved parties at the party's national headquarters in Accra.

The declaration made by the Committee in the matter of the controversies appeared to have put issues to bed.

But it is now emerging that some party members are still left disgruntled.

The group is also calling on the current Member of Parliament for the area, James Klutse Avedzi, to speak up on the matter.

These new developments in the constituency can negatively affect the party in the 2024 general elections if a timely resolution is not reached.