The People’s National Convention (PNC) says it feels betrayed by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for not showing any solidarity to the party on the disqualification of its flag bearer.
The party says the NDC is believed to be an ally with the PNC and expected that the leadership of the major opposition party would reach out to them when their candidate, Bernard Mornah, was disqualified.
However, Chairman of the party, Samson Awingobit, has expressed disappointment over the silence of the NDC leadership on Mornah’s disqualification saying the party has been neglected.
“Could you imagine that since the time we did our election, the filing of our nomination and the Electoral Commission disqualified us, people who believe that my candidate, Bernard Mornah, is an ally to the NDC, could you believe nobody from the NDC, not even President Mahama, or Asiedu Nketia, or Fifi Kwetey or Omane Boamah – none of them called Bernard Mornah to sympathise with us,” he said in an interview on Accra-based Asempa FM Wednesday, September 09, 2024.
He alleged that the leadership earlier thought that the PNC’s disqualification from the race was an orchestration by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) executed by the Electoral Commission (EC).
But, Awingobit says the party was shocked that the flag bearer of the NPP and Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, rather called to commiserate with them.
“You know who called? I had a cold when he [Benard Mornah] told me. He said it was the New Patriotic Party presidential candidate, His Excellency Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. He was the one who rather picked up the phone.
“Even I and my leader were saying that it was NPP that made Jean Mensa disqualify us. But the one you think is your enemy is not your enemy. Dr Bawumia could pick up his phone and say my younger brother, it is well with you,” he added.
13 persons successfully passed through the stages to qualify for the presidential race in the upcoming elections with 11 others disqualified from the contest, including Mornah.
But the EC says their disqualification was justified after the PNC and other parties raised concerns over their exclusion, threatening to undertake some legal action which the EC said it was ready for.
According to the Chairperson of the Commission at an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting Tuesday, October 01, 2024, the EC conducted a thorough vetting of all nomination forms before arriving at its decision.
She reiterated the Commission’s commitment to ensuring a transparent and fair electoral process.
Disqualification by EC: PNC flagbearer appeals to Chief Imam to put in a word for him