PNC Congress in danger ...But executive unfazed

THE National delegates congress of the People’s National Convention (PNC) scheduled for Sunyani on Saturday, February 4, 2012 is under threat.
The leaders of the party in Ashanti, Greater Accra, Upper West ,Western and the Central regions have filed interlocutory injunction restraining the party from holding the congress.
The suit was filed in an Accra High Court by the five regional chairmen, Mr Thomas Akumyong, Ashanti; Mr Iddrisu Nuhu Saed, Upper West Deputy Chairman; Mr Yakubu Tahiru, Western Region; Alhajia Mohammed Abbas, Central Region and Mr Ebenezer Halm-Quartey, Greater Accra.
The defendants are Dr Edward Mahama, Leader of the party; Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, National Chairman; Mr Bernard Mornah, General Secretary and the Peoples National Convention.
In their affidavit in support of their claim, the plaintiff said the capacity of the three named defendants as executives of the Party was a subject of a suit Number BMISC 141/2012 which was currently pending at the High Court of Accra.
It added that there had not been any national executive meeting of the PNC to deliberate or discuss any issue regarding the said national congress, let alone approve same.
It claimed that the three named defendants were currently acting as the organisers of the impending national delegates’ congress, a role which was reserved for the national executive committee and also the conduct of three defendants amounted to a gross violation of the PNC constitution and a blatant disregard for rule of law and proper democratic practices as enshrined in the 1992 constitution of Ghana.
However, the General Secretary of the PNC, Mr Bernard Mornah had rubbished the claims by the chairmen, and said once a court of competent jurisdiction had cleared the way for the party to hold its congress nothing could stop it or hinder the progress of activities.
Mr Mornah said that the NEC would meet today to discuss other issues prior to the congress but indicated that arrangements had been completed on issues such as security and accreditation for delegates and guests including representatives of political parties and members of the diplomatic corps.
“All is set for an exciting congress that would ussher the PNC into an intense political campaign to win the 2012 elections and bring relief to the ordinary Ghanaian. There is no turning back, nothing can stop us now,” he said.
Dr Edward Nasigre Mahama will set a record as the only person to have contested the flag-bearer position of a party five times.
But Dr Mahama, a gynaecologist in private practice, faces stiff competition from Mr Hassan Ayariga.
Sixteen members of the party are also contesting for seven executive positions in the party.
According to the 40-year-old Mr Ayariga, the PNC needed fresh leadership with the zeal to succeed, particularly on the presidential slot, to halt the free fall of the party’s fortune from 7.8 per cent of votes in 1996 elections to less that one per cent in 2008.
He said not only had Dr Mahama failed in his position as leader of the PNC to put the party on a pedestal to ensure that it won political power to continue with Dr Limann’s unfinished business of making Ghana a better place.
But Dr Mahama insisted that he was not just the best person to lead the PNC but also the one to salvage Ghana from what he called visionless leaders who had failed to tap the rich human and natural resources of the country to provide the basic needs of the people.
According to Mr Mornah, the first part of the congress would be used for party activities, particularly the amendment of the PNC’s constitution, the general secretary’s report, among others, before the Electoral Commission (EC) would take over precedings to organise the election of a flag bearer and national executive members.
Those vying for the position of National Chairman are Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, the incumbent National Chairman; Dr Edward Gyader, the Upper West Regional Chairman for 1992, 1996 and 2000; Mr Thomas Akumyoung, the Ashanti Regional Chairman; Dr Somtim Tobiga, a former National Treasurer, and Mr David Nibi.
For the position of First National Chairman, Hajia Hajara Ali will be elected unopposed because she was the only aspirant at the close of nominations.
The sitting General Secretary, Mr Mornah, will be challenged by the Communications Director of the party, Mr Henry Haruna Asante, and the party’s Policy Analyst, Mr Atik Mohammed.
Those seeking the mandate of the congress to be the party’s National Organiser are Abubakar Ebla Kwashie, Mr Omar Ahmed Bekure and Mr Emmanuel Wilson.
Mr David Apasera, the Treasurer, who is seeking re-election, is being challenged by Mr Batsa Peter Teye, while Ms Elizabeth Amedekanyu and Janet Nabila are vying for the position of National Women’s Organiser.
Mr Abass Nuhu and Mr Colson Akanbasian will vie for the position of National Youth Organiser.
The party was billed to hold its congress in the latter part of last year but it was rescheduled as a result of a series of legal issues which were contested in courts against the locus of the current leadership to hold themselves as an executive and organise a congress.
However, on January 23, 2012, a major hurdle on its path was cleared when the Accra High Court dismissed a motion for interlocutory injunction seeking an order to restrain the PNC from organising its delegates congress.
According to the court, the applicants failed to provide independent evidence to substantiate allegations of fraud levelled against the defendants.