A group of concerned National Democratic Congress (NDC) delegates in the Ketu North Constituency have expressed their displeasure with the National Executive Committee’s (NEC) declaration of a parliamentary candidate without conducting a re-run of the recent party primaries, which they claim were tied.

After two recounts and the discovery of some unstamped ballots, the NDC primaries on May 13, 2023, concluded in a tie of votes between candidates John Adanu Zewu and Edem Agbana, with each earning 358 votes.

Two of the unstamped ballots were cast in support of Edem Agbana, who received 360 votes including the unstamped ballots, and one was cast in support of John Adanu Zewu, who received 359 votes.

After the unstamped ballots were removed from the votes of the two leading candidates, each had 358 legal votes.

However, on May 16, 2023, the NDC NEC declared Edem Agbana as the officially chosen NDC parliamentary candidate for Ketu North.

In their complaint, the worried delegates highlighted their worries about the party’s “lack of unity” and encouraged the party’s constituency and regional leadership to “address the issue promptly.”

They questioned the “silence of the local party leadership,” highlighting the importance of upholding party rules, regulations, and guidelines, as well as the country’s election laws.

James Gyakye Quayson, the embattled Member of Parliament who is currently facing trial for perjury, has formally stated his desire to run in the June 27 Assin North bye-election.

Mr Quayson was removed from Parliament and his name was removed from the legislative body’s records after the Supreme Court ruled that his election in the 2020 elections was invalid due to his dual citizenship.

The Court ruled that his election was null and invalid because he owed loyalty to another nation at the time he applied to run, which is against Ghanaian law.

In a statement, Mr Quayson insisted that he duly renounced his Canadian citizenship prior to contesting the 2020 polls but said “the most important thing to me right now is to contest and win the bye-election which is the result of what the Supreme Court announced on 17th May 2023. I am determined to continue serving the good people of the Assin North with all my heart, soul, body and all the resources I can muster for the benefit of my constituents.”

The National Democratic Congress (NDC), on whose platform Mr Quayson stood in the 2020 general election, has already announced preparations to contest the bye-election and keep the seat.

The party announced it will keep Mr Quayson as its candidate in the by-election.

In March of last year, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah put the truth straight about the government’s plans for 16 major activities.

In an interview with Ekosii Sen on Asempa FM, the Minister stressed that the programmes will be reviewed and not cancelled, contrary to reports by several news outlets.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah is said to have stated that 16 government flagship schemes will be discontinued.

According to sources, the decision was made during a three-day cabinet retreat at the Peduase Lodge in the Eastern Region to alleviate the country’s economic difficulties.

However, in response to the findings, the Minister stated that the schemes will be reviewed rather than scrapped.

“All 16 flagship programmes are available for review.” The President has mandated that the flagship programmes be safeguarded and fully implemented to ensure that the intended impact is realised. He does, however, want it done within the restrictions of item number two, which is the fiscal framework with which we are working.

“If, due to the constraints we face, we must rescope a specific flagship programme, we will do so and see how far we can get.” So all 16 are up for debate; none are off-limits.

“Only that the President has laid down the red line that we will not compromise on the fiscal consolidation agenda because our real problem over the years has been a year-on-year deficit going out of hand,” he remarked on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen.