Bagbin Talks NDC Elections And Matters Arising

A presidential aspirant of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Alban Bagbin, has commended all supporters and party members who participated in the party’s 9th Delegates Congress in Accra.

Mr. Bagbin, who asked for more patience and endurance, praised members and supporters for staying through the event which began on Saturday and ended on Sunday night.

“My comrades in arms, it is with this in mind that I wish to send my heartfelt commendations to the rank and file of our Great Party, the Organisers and most especially to our gallant men and women delegates, some of who suffered near-fatalities on Saturday morning. Your patience, your tolerance and your endurance; your sense of discipline and your show of maturity before, during and after this major exercise in the renewal of our national leaders have all been a loud testimony to the fact that, we shall indeed win together in election 2020!”

Following criticisms about a delayed congress, an aide to former President John Mahama, James Agyenim Boateng , chided members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) for criticising the NDC for its unusually long National Delegates' conference.

In a Facebook post on Sunday morning, more than 12 hours after voting started, Mr. Agyenim-Boateng said, the NDC was more particular about holding a credible election than an extremely fast congress.

Mr. Bagbin, however, added that “Change and renewal is often a painful process, it is like committing good seed to the soil when starvation stares you in the face. It is like going through unspeakable odds in order to see the birth of a new movement … the new NDC Party.”

Many journalists and political watchers have questioned the long duration of the NDC's 9th delegates' conference.

The voting exercise, which started at about 6:00 pm on Saturday, continued unabated throughout the night into Sunday where hundreds of delegates were yet to cast their ballots even as at 7:00 am on Sunday.

Delegates assembled at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra to elect executives to lead the party at the national level for the next four years.

Over 60 NDC stalwarts vied for various positions in the party.