We’ll Protect Integrity Of Electoral Process - Jamal

A deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Mr Baba Jamal, has stated that the party will use legal and constitutional means to ensure that the sanctity of the electoral process is not undermined by any political party, be it in opposition or in government.

Mr Jamal stated this at a media briefing before the vetting of the NDC aspiring parliamentary candidates for seven orphaned constituencies in the Ashanti Region.
The constituencies are Obuasi, Fomena, Old Tafo/Pankrono, Subin, Oforikrom, and Kwadaso.

He said the enthusiasm shown in the acquisition of forms by parliamentary aspirants was a sign that the NDC was a rejuvenated party and was poised to win the 2008 elections.
He added that “the eight orphaned constituencies in the Greater Accra Region have as many as 30 aspiring parliamentary candidates.”

According to him, at Ablekuma Central, where the party had no sitting MP, as many as six persons were interested in filing their nomination papers to contest the primaries to represent the NDC in next year's parliamentary elections.

The deputy NDC General Secretary announced that nomination for constituencies where the party had sitting MPs would be opened in January 2008.

“Already in about 15 constituencies where the NDC has MPs, people are jostling for the positions, and no sitting MP will be favoured,” he said.

However, he said, if a sitting MP comes out to state that he would not be contesting then the party would open nomination in that constituency earlier than the January 2008 deadline.

Mr Jamal explained that if a constituency believed that its sitting MP had done well, “it's up to them to retain him or her, the national or regional executive of the party will not interfere. We want the will of the people to prevail.”

Story by Nana Yaw Osei