Presidential aspirant of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Nurudeen Iddrisu, has said that he will defer the choice of his running-mate to the party should he be elected flagbearer.
Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Iddrisu, who’s barely known in the political circle, said despite the fact that the presidential candidates are mandated to choose their own running-mates ahead of the general elections, he would prefer the party makes the decision on who deputizes for him at the polls.
“I want to empower the party, I want to work with the party. So I will delegate it to the party. My reason is that I want the party to help me with their knowledge and experience to get me the right running mate that can help us win the elections because I don’t have enough experience in elections.”
Nurudeen Iddrisu denied assertions that if he does become President, other decisions including the choice of Ministers might be left to the party as well, insisting that allowing the NDC to pick his running mate was a way to “empower” them.
“Not at all. I can pick a running mate, but I want to leave it to the party. It’s my discretion. I will sit with the party, brainstorm and come out with a running mate.”
M. Iddrisu is a relatively unknown figure in Ghana’s political space, and while he admits that he might not be a household name nationally, he believes he is a significant player at the grassroots level.
“In party business, we have those who come on radio, the people who finance and the Ministers; it’s a combination of all of us. I was in the background doing the grassroots work and supporting the party financially. So at the grassroots level, I’m well known but at the national level, I’m not”
Nurudeen Iddrisu will be the 2nd person on the ballot paper after balloting at the NDC’s headquarters last Wednesday.
Former President John Dramani Mahama picked the third slot.
Member of Parliament for Nadowli-Kaleo, Alban Bagbin, picked the first slot while Prof. Joshua Alabi is last on the list.
The fourth slot was picked by Sylvester Mensah, followed by Ekwow Spio-Garbrah and Goosie Tanoh, in that order.
All the seven aspirants were duly vetted at the NDC’s headquarters last Tuesday with each person expressing confidence of emerging victorious in the party’s presidential primary on February 26.
The NDC’s Acting Director of Elections, Bede-Ziedin, told the media that printing of ballot papers will take place from 3rd to 17th February 2019, after which they would be forwarded to all their constituency centres where the election will be held.
More troubles looming?
However, the polls might hit another snag after six of its presidential aspirants called for the contract for the printing of ballot papers for the upcoming presidential primary, to be given to a state-owned printing house.
According to the six aspirants; Alban SK Bagbin, Nurudeen Ali, Sylvester Mensah, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Goosie Tanoh and Joshua Alabi, the party should award the contract for the printing of the ballot papers to a trustworthy firm such as the Assembly Press, to ensure that some of the irregularities that rocked the party’s national executive election held in November 2018 do not recur.
Subsequently, the aspirants petitioned the party leaders on Saturday, claiming that the voters’ register to be used for the polls also came without photographs and ID numbers.
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By: Edwin Kwakofi |citinewsroom.com | Ghana | edwinkwakofi@gmail.com
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