The National Democratic Congress (NDC) appears to have learnt a lesson from the aftermath of the 2020 general elections, and thus attempting to seal all holes ahead of the 2024 polls.
The party has announced that any member, who intends contesting any parliamentary seat, would have to convince the party that he/she does not hold dual citizenship.
According to the National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the party does “not want to fall into this dual citizenship trap anymore.”
The move stems from the ongoing legal battle over the Assin North parliamentary seat, which was won by the NDC in 2020, but the election was overturned by the Supreme Court due to the eligibility crisis.
A citizen in the constituency challenged the nationality of the Member of Parliament, arguing that at the time he filed to contest the Assin North seat, he was a Canadian citizen, contrary to law.
The Court has since ordered him to stop holding himself as the Member of Parliament for the Assin North Constituency and should stop undertaking any parliamentary duties. The decision is, however, being challenged.
Since the ruling of the court, the MP has not been to Parliament. Even on the day the House voted on the Censure Motion on the Finance Minister, the Minority, who promoted the motion, had 136 votes, one less of their total number. That was because the Assin North MP did not vote.
Addressing a news conference yesterday, General Mosquito reiterated key portion of the regulations for the NDC primaries, during which he also touched on the dual citizenship issue.
FILING FEES
The NDC has announced May 13, 2023 for the Presidential and Parliamentary primaries. The General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey announced at the party headquarters in Accra on Wednesday, January 18, 2023.
Party members who intend vying for the flag bearer slot will pick a form at GH¢30,000.00and file same at GH¢500,000.00 – both non-refundable.
Parliamentary candidates will pick a form at non-refundable fee of GH¢5,000.00, and pay a filing fee of GH¢40,000.00 – also non-refundable.
PRESIDENTIAL COST
The General Secretary explained the reason for the GH¢500,000.00 filing fee, which is a GH¢200,000.00 increase from the 2019 fee.
However, Fifi Kwetey claimed that the GH¢500,000.00 for this year is “worth less than the GH¢300,000.00,” for which he blamed the Akufo-Addo government.
He fumbled to explained further that the leadership of the party settled for the GH¢500,000.00 because they “appreciate the difficult economic challenge this government has brought upon Ghanaians.Because of these difficulties we felt it was going to be not too easy to go as far as we should go, if we want to go in real terms…”
