PNC Holds Congress

In spite of threats of legal action, the People’s National Convention (PNC) says its national delegates congress in Sunyani to elect a flag bearer for the 2012 general election will go on as planned.

The congress will also elect a seven-member executive to steer the affairs of the party for the next four years.

The party says the threats of placing a court injunction on the congress are a deliberate distractive mechanism geared towards destroying the congress which will come to naught.

Speaking on phone with the Daily Graphic from the campus of the Sunyani Polytechnic, venue of the congress, the General Secretary of the PNC, Mr Bernard Mornah, said the congress had started as advertised and would be crowned with the election of the party’s flag bearer.

“As I speak with you, the national executive members have just come out from a meeting with the Brong Ahafo Regional executive. We are just about to begin the National Executive Committee meeting which normally precedes the congress on Saturday,” he said.

Mr Mornah said he had not been served any court injunction, adding that since a court of competent jurisdiction gave the party the green light to organise the congress, after a protracted court case, the PNC had activated activities for the congress and would not look back.

He said the leadership of the party had also had a successful meeting with the Brong Ahafo Regional Police Command, after which the police inspected the congress grounds to deploy men there Friday.

He added that as courtesy demanded, the leadership of the party had paid courtesy calls on chiefs of the area and the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister to inform them about the congress.

Asked whether the PNC was disturbed by threats of being served with any court injunction, he said, “My eyes are on the ball. We came here to elect our leaders and that is what we will do.”

Last Thursday, leaders of the PNC in the Ashanti, Greater Accra, Upper West, Western and Central regions filed an interlocutory injunction restraining the party from holding the congress.

The suit was filed in an Accra High Court by the five regional chairmen, Mr Thomas Akumyong, Ashanti; Mr Iddrisu Nuhu Saed, Upper West Deputy Chairman; Mr Yakubu Tahiru, Western Region; Alhaji Mohammed Abbas, Central Region, and Mr Ebenezer Halm-Quartey, Greater Accra.

The names of the defendants in the suit, a copy of which was made available to the Daily Graphic, are Dr Edward Mahama, Leader of the party; Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, National Chairman; Mr Bernard Mornah, General Secretary, and the PNC as an entity.

In the affidavit in support of their claim, the plaintiffs said the capacity of the three named defendants as executives of the party was a subject of a suit that was pending at the High Court of Accra.

At today’s congress, Dr Mahama, who has been the PNC’s presidential candidate for four consecutive elections, will contest the flag-bearer position again, but this time challenged by 40-year-old Mr Hassan Ayariga.

Those vying for the position of National Chairman are Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, the incumbent National Chairman; Dr Edward Gyader, Upper West Regional Chairman for 1992, 1996 and 2000; Mr Thomas Akumyong, the Ashanti Regional Chairman; Dr Somtim Tobiga, a former National Treasurer, and Mr David Nibi.

For the position of First National Chairman, Hajia Hajara Ali will be elected unopposed because she was the only aspirant at the close of nominations.

The sitting General Secretary, Mr Mornah, will be challenged by the Communications Director of the party, Mr Henry Haruna Asante, and the party’s Policy Analyst, Mr Atik Mohammed.

Those seeking the mandate of the congress to be the party’s National Organiser are Abubakar Ebla Kwashie, Mr Omar Ahmed Bekure and Mr Emmanuel Wilson.

Mr David Apasera, the Treasurer, who is seeking re-election, is being challenged by Mr Batsa Peter Teye, while Ms Elizabeth Amedekanyu and Janet Nabila are vying for the position of National Women’s Organiser.

Mr Abass Nuhu and Mr Colson Akanbasian will vie for the position of National Youth Organiser.