PNC National Chair accused of conspiring in disqualification of Dr Mahama

Tension is brewing in the People’s National Convention (PNC) after the party’s flagbearer; Dr Edward Mahama was disqualified by the Electoral Commission (EC) last week Monday.

The party is in a throes of danger as former PNC Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolgatanga Central, David Apasera is accusing the party’s National Chairman of being responsible for the woes of the party’s leader.

He claimed Bernard Mornah has been contracted by another party to derail the fortunes of the party in the coming election, adding the PNC chairman has refused to brand a vehicle given him by the party.

EC boss, Charlotte Osei explained to the media after disqualifying Dr Mahama that the PNC leader did not get the requisite 432 number of subscribers expected to endorse his nomination form.

She said two of Dr Mahama’s subscribers Abaaku Issifu with the voter ID number 2988006876 and Abudu Ayuba with ID number 6303005554 were already on another candidate’s list of subscribers, a clear breach of the electoral law.

“For a large majority of subscribers, the signature portion was ticked rather than subscribed with a signature, thumb print or mark. It is important to point out that a simple tick does not satisfy the requirements of the law for where a mark is made in lieu of a signature or thumb print,” Mrs Osei said.

While the party is considering its next move, Mr Apasera is laying blame at the doors of the PNC chairman for conspiring with others to eliminate his name from the list of parliamentary aspirants for the party.

“I asked the party General Secretary and Treasurer and they told me the money [filing fees] has been paid but it is not true. If you are not working for your party and you are the head of the party, who will remove the name?” he quipped.

But reacting to the allegations on the Joy FM’s Top Story programme Tuesday, Mr Mornah described the former MP as a sour loser.

He said the behavior of Mr Apasera shows he has not gone past the defeat he [Mornah] handed him during the party’s National Chairmanship race.

“I am disappointed that he will do this. He has shown so much immaturity and if you look at his age you will just vomit,” he said.

On the claim that he removed the name of the former MP from the list of the party’s parliamentary candidates, Mr Mornah said he was not aware Mr Apasera was contesting because his name was not in the regional list of candidates.

“If he bothered to know, the General Secretary submitted the list of parliamentary candidates and paid far above the list presented so there could have been provision made for him,” he said.

He, however, said the party's attention would not be diverted from the measures they have put in place to ensure the party's leader is brought back into the presidential race.

He disclosed that the party's lawyers have written to the Commission demanding for Dr Mahama to be reinstated within the next 48 hours else they would be pushed to visit other forms of actions on the EC.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | AKABP