NDC does not recognize any aspirant except Mahama – Kofi Adams

National Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Adams has said his party does not recognize anybody who is aspiring for the NDC flagbearership position, save Former President John Dramani Mahama.

In an interview with TV3 journalist, Kwakye Afreh-Nuamah, Mr. Adams said some members of the party such as Prof. Joshua Alabi, Ekow Spio-Garbrah and Alban Bagbin,

Read full articlewho have expressed interest in the flagbearership position are not officially recognized by the party since nominations have not yet been opened.

“We don’t have any aspirants. We have not opened nominations. So at this point, we are not recognizing aspirants, we are recognizing people who have served. President Mahama was a Former President of this country and the immediate past leader of our party, so we give that due recognition to him,” he explained.

He noted that when Professor Mills lost the elections in 2001, he was given the platform during many of the party activities prior to the 2004 elections even though there were several others like Prof. Kwesi Botchwey who were interested in the flagbearership race, adding that claims of unfair treatment from some aspirants were needless.

“When we organize functions just like from 2001 after we lost, late President Mills was given the platform as our leader and a former vice president in many of the activities we organized then. Even though Professor Kwesi Botwey was interested in the 2004 elections. He did not indicate that because he was also interested if there was any function, Professor Mills was speaking he must also automatically speak,” he mentioned.

He, therefore, described activities of some of the ‘aspirants’ as illegal as according to him, the party has come out with a clear timetable that informs everybody of when national nominations will be opened.

“The party has not opened nominations for a position that you are indicating that you want to aspire. Any true party person should spend much more time to understand this. Especially that we have announced a timetable. Reorganization November, December. Branch election January, constituencies in March, Regions in June and National in July,” he outlined.

Earlier this year, General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said the NDC’s constitution requires that a flagbearer is elected two years before elections when in opposition.

The Daily Guide newspaper reported him as saying, “By the close of next year, which is 2018, our presidential candidate for the 2020 presidential elections, would have been elected. Our Constitution instructs us to do so, and that is exactly what we will do.”

The NDC suffered a massive defeat in the 2016 elections as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) headed by President Nana Addo won with over a million votes.