Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen of the press. We are members and delegates of the National Democratic Congress in the Odododiodioo Constituency. Our press conference this morning is in the supreme interest of the NDC in this constituency, and that is to call on the National Executive Committee to be cautious of their actions which tends to threaten what is considered as an otherwise safe seat for the NDC.
We have summoned you here because as concerned members of the party in this constituency, we are convinced without a scintilla of doubt that the actions and decisions of FEC has the tendency of making us lose a seat which we have won safely in five consecutive elections. Ladies and gentlemen of the press, at this juncture we wish to chronicle a few events which has led us to where we are today, making our cherish constituency volatile.
Opening of Nominations
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, on the 9th of October 2023, nominations were officially opened for qualified persons to file nominations to contest for the parliamentary primaries of the NDC in the Odododiodioo constituency. Subsequently, on October 11th 2023, Mr. Michael Nii Yarboi Annan, having critically assessed himself in terms of his competences and qualification, and widely consulted with the relevant stakeholders responded to the call of the teaming base of the party to take over the mantle from Hon. Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, and retain the Odododiodioo seat with a landslide victory.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is worth stating that it is from this day that the opponents of Nii Yarboi Annan who felt threaten that their ambitions cannot be realize with him in the race began their agenda to get him out of the contest, having realized that Mr. Annan enjoys an overwhelming support from not just the delegates of the party, but also from ordinary party faithful, opinion leaders, and religious leaders in and outside the party in the constituency. Mr. Michael Yarboi Annan have the overwhelming support because since joining the NDC in 2019, he has endeared himself to the grassroots and have continued to selflessly serve the party to the best of his abilities.
Vetting and Matters Arising
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, ahead of the vetting of aspirants for the parliamentary primaries, the opponents of Mr. Nii Yarboi Annan through their surrogates in the party sent not less than 10 different petitions to the vetting committee, asking for his disqualification on some frivolous grounds. Ladies and gentlemen, on October 13th 2023, Mr. Michael Nii Yarboi Annan appeared before the vetting committee chaired by Mr. Alex Segbefia. At the vetting, the attention of Mr. Annan was brought to the fact that the committee has received a number of petitions against his eligibility to contest in the parliamentary primaries.
Indeed, Mr. Annan was asked by the committee to respond to the issues raised in the petition in the presence of the lead petitioner. In the wisdom of the Vetting Committee, Mr. Michael Nii Yarboi Annan was qualified, and cleared to contest in the parliamentary primaries.
Appeals and Special Committee
Ladies and gentleman of the press, the opponents of Mr. Michael Nii Yarboi Annan instead of girding their loins and putting themselves up to the contest for the delegates to decide who leads the NDC in the Odododiodioo Constituency rather decided to find crude tactics to kick him out, but the point is anyone who is worth leading Odododiodioo must not fear contest. The opponents of Mr. Michael Yarboi Annan in their unquenchable thirst to have him disqualified, even though were granted a fair hearing by the vetting committee appealed against the decision to clear Nii Yarboi Annan to contest. Remember, his face on the ballot is a threat to their selfish ambitions.
A special committee was established by FEC and the findings of the committee were the basis of the purported disqualification of Mr. Michael Yarboi Annan. It is instructive to state the Special Committee did not disqualify Mr. Michael Nii Yarboi Annan but could not endorse his qualification by the vetting committee. The basis of this decision is very much questionable and we are reliably informed that an appeal for review was filed through the Lawyers of Mr. Michael Nii Yarboi Annan. However, given the overwhelming support Mr. Annan has among the delegates and the grassroots, the Special Committee “strongly advised” that a political solution be considered before the parliamentary primaries is held. At this point, what then is a political solution?
Read Also >>>>> FULL TEXT: REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ODODODIODIO CONSTITUENCY PARLIAMENTARY PRIMARIES VIOLENCE
We wish to emphasize that, the decision by FEC to disqualify Mr. Yarboi Annan is no way in the interest of the party. But an attempt to give a smooth passage to those who put their hands in between their laps and jettisoned the base of the party whiles Nii Yarboi Annan was busily working hard in tandem with the leadership of the party in the constituency to make the party attractive, and increase our chances of winning the next general elections with overwhelming votes.
Petition for Review
As stated earlier, we are reliably informed of the petition for review by Mr.Michael Yarboi Annan through his lawyers. The rules of natural justice requires that he is given a fair hearing and his concerns with regards to what we consider as the erroneous findings of the special committee be addressed. We are however stunned by the fact that a democratic party as the NDC that we all pride ourselves with, the FEC and NEC have failed to address those concerns but penchant on proceeding with the primaries to the detriment of his rights.
The multimillion questions we ask ourselves are, in whose interest are all these being done? It is to serve a certain parochial interest or the supreme interest of the NDC. If this is indeed about the supreme interest of the party that we all love, then FEC and NEC must with immediate effect revise their notes and do that which is indeed in the interest of the party, given the volatile situation we have in our hands at present.
Neglect of Constituency Executives
Ladies and gentleman of the press, one of the main reasons we have summoned you to this press conference today is because of the posturing of some of our regional and national executives which is without regard to the constituency executives. We take recognizance of the Special Committee’s recommendation “to adopt Odododiodioo as a special project to ensure that we win the Presidential and Parliamentary elections in 2024.”
It is therefore our case that adopting the constituency as a special project is not synonymous to taking over the constituency. What in our considered opinion means is that the NEC together with the REC will work hand in hand with the CEC to bring home our greater desire to retain the seat with landslide victory and make H.E John Dramani Mahama the next president with overwhelming votes.
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, working hand in hand with the CEC also includes seeking their opinions in order to appreciate their positions on issues affecting the constituency. We voted the constituency executives into office through a democratic process. They have our mandate as members of the party and delegates of Odododiodioo. They embody our aspirations to the extent that any disrespect to this body of people is disrespect to the members of the party in the constituency.
We shall therefore not countenance any attempt to disrespect our mandate as members of the party and set aside the CEC by taking over their constitutionally defined roles. We wish to state that if FEC has decided to take over the constituency in respect of the parliamentary primaries, which in our opinion is an agenda to force a weak candidate on us, then they should equally be prepared to come and campaign in the constituency to retain the seat and win votes for H.E John Dramani Mahama.
Late last year, we saw a notice circulating purporting to conduct parliamentary primaries in Odododiodioo on the 16th of December, 2023. How that was cancelled is not known to the CEC the same way they were not informed about it. We were told that balloting was conducted in respect of two candidates without any recourse or information to the very people who owns our mandate as a constituency.
We have recently also cited a letter addressed by the General Secretary of the party, Hon. Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey to the Greater Accra Regional Chairman, with the attention of the Regional Secretary, for elections to be held on the 20th January, 2024. The letter purportedly called for the conduct of the said elections to be done in consultation with the CEC. It is instructive to point out that as at present, neither the CEC nor the Director of Elections for the Constituency have received any information from the top hierarchy regarding this election.
We stand with the CEC and Mr. Michael Yarboi Annan at this moment, and wish to call on FEC to reinstate him to contest in the primaries in whatever date may be deemed appropriate. FEC should allow the delegates to decide who leads the party in the constituency and anything short of this may be fatal to the interest of the party.
Fidelity to the NDC Constitution
Much as we disagree with the findings of the Special Committee, the basis for which FEC purportedly disqualified Mr. Michael Yarboi Annan, we wish to state that if FEC would want us to believe that they are giving fidelity to the constitution of the NDC, then by the spirit and letter of the same NDC Constitution and upon a proper interpretation of the Article 41(8) (b), Nii Okai Laryea does not also then qualify to contest in the primaries.
For emphasis the said provision states that “a member shall not be qualified to contest the primaries for a parliamentary seat if the person is not an active member of the party at the constituency level for the four years immediately preceding the date of filing nominations.”
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, as at the time of filing nomination, Nii Okai Laryea did not belong to any branch in the constituency, neither was he an active member of the constituency. He never participated in any of the activities of the constituency prior to the filing of the nomination. How then did he qualify and the one who has been with the grassroots through the thick and the thin does not qualify? Evidence of this can be glean from the membership number Nii Okai Laryea stated on his nomination form which clearly is not a membership number from this constituency.
If on the face of this glaring evidence of not being a member in the constituency, Nii Okai Laryea was qualified to contest and another disqualified on the basis of frivolous allegation, then what happened to the sense of fairness of the FEC?
How about the candidate who was also cleared to contest despite having dual nationality as being purported by the camp of Nii Okai Laryea, and campaigning with same? Our national constitutional is clear on this matters and the case of Hon. James Gyakye Quayson should be enough lesson to our party.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we wish to state that “all politics is local,” and for that matter, the politics of odododiodioo must be left in the hands of the local people to run and determine their own destiny. The political dynamics of Odododiodioo have changed a lot since 2016.
The times of voting any “goat” in NDC colours is fast becoming a thing of the past. The aspirations of the people matter to them more than anything now, and only Mr. Annan currently represents the people’s true aspirations.
Indeed, Mr. Annan has a solid proven political and social record as compared to the other aspirants. Mr. Annan has brought life to Odododiodioo politics in general, as many of our people lost hope in the political establishment as a result of the death incidents recorded in 2020.
In this regard, his exclusion from the contest would not only lead to a boycott of the parliamentary primaries by many delegates of the party but would also lead to a boycott of the 2024 General elections by many of the electorates in the constituency.
The leadership of our party is left with only two options now. They either reinstate the choice of the people to contest the primaries or face the biggest positive defiance in the history of our great party. We are promising the leadership of our party that we are ready to go every length to ensure that the will of the people prevails.
God bless Michael Nii Yarboi Annan!
God bless the great NDC!!
God bless Odododiodioo!!!
Odododiodioo Constituency, January 15, 2024
