Voting at NDC congress dragging to close

Koforidua, Dec. 23, GNA - Voting in the on-going 6th NDC Congress at Koforidua was dragging to a close on Friday morning, when as at 0800 hours, three regional delegates were yet to cast their votes after voting began at 1900 hours on Thursday.

The delegates yet to cast votes were the Eastern, Central and Greater Accra regions.

The voting process was found to be dreary for some of the delegates, as they have to write the numbers of their choice of contestant for each office, with as many as 14 contestants vying for six slots for the National Vice Chairmen.

The problem was compounded for some of the constituency delegates around mid-night, due to weariness and with some being called from sleep, they had to take their turns to cast their vote moving from one voting screen to the other.

The incumbent National Chairman, Dr Obed Asamoah, former President J.J. Rawlings and former NDC flag bearer, Prof. John Atta Mills, were among leading members of the party, who sat through much of the period, observing the voting process.

Mr Rawlings and Prof. Mills, however, left the conference hall around dawn, obviously to go and have a short rest before returning to observe the concluding proceedings, when the results of the election would be announced and winners sworn into office. One of the notable rowdy incidents, which occurred at the congress, was the brutal assault on Madam Frances Essiam, the immediate past Women's Organiser, by some unidentified thugs, leading to sustaining bruises on her face before being rescued by police and whisked away from the venue.

Most of the delegates and observers, who left the venue during the night, were seen returning in the morning to either cast their votes or observe proceedings inside the hall or on a close circuit screen erected outside the hall.