NDC polls: 'I remain focused' - Jones-Mensah shoots down claims of his eligibility

A parliamentary candidate hopeful of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Keta constituency, Dr. Emmanuel Jones-Mensah, has stated that he remains focused at his goal.

According to a statement issued by Livingstone Pay-Charlie, Jones-Mensah’s campaign manager, publications that have been made to the effect that his candidature has been put on hold due to eligibility are false.

“Dr. Emmanuel Kojo Jones-Mensah and his campaign team are focused and resolute on campaigning towards an emphatic victory on May 13 in Keta.

“It has come to our attention that some individuals within the NDC who have a personal vendetta against Dr Jones-Mensah are behind fake media publications purporting to state that his eligibility to contest in the Keta NDC primaries as a parliamentary aspirant has been put on ice, pending further investigations.

“We want to state that there's no iota of truth whatsoever in these media publications,” the statement said.

The camp of Dr. Jones-Mensah also indicated that, contrary to claims that there is a question about the eligibility of their candidate, that matter has actually been resolved.

The statement added that the determination by the Volta Regional NDC Vetting Committee also found that the legal issues being thrown at their candidate had also been determined to be unfounded.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Volta Regional NDC Vetting Committee sitting in Dzodze on April 5 established that Dr. Jones-Mensah has valid NDC membership, dismissing an initial petition filed by one, Eric Detologo. At the national headquarters of the NDC last week Thursday April 13, the Appeals Committee heard two appeals against Dr. Jones-Mensah from Eric Detologo and Kwesi Djokoto, an aspirant in the Keta race. While the NDC 2023 guidelines guiding the internal parliamentary primaries preclude the two from appealing, the special Appeals Committee decided to hear them on the basis that they are party members.

“The two appeals were found to be frivolous, without material fact and vexatious, and same were dismissed. A full report of the Appeals Committee has since been published via a communique. Per the structural workings of the NDC, the clearance by the Appeals Committee for Dr. Jones-Mensah to contest has brought finality on this matter. The scurrilous fake media agenda is an exercise in futility,” the statement added.

Background:

A close source of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Keta constituency has told GhanaWeb that the Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has confirmed that the name of a parliamentary hopeful for Keta, Emmanuel Jones Mensah, is not in the official database of the party.

Speaking to GhanaWeb, the source explained that it has been confirmed by the party that the candidate’s name does not appear in its database.

“The Functional Executive Committee at its meeting today, Tuesday 18th April, 2023 deferred its decision on the eligibility of Mr. Emmanuel Jones Mensah, an aspirant in the Keta Constituency Parliamentary primaries of the party.

"This was after FEC considered the report of a special committee that has been set up to determine certain special appeals emanating from the decisions of vetting committees of the party.

During deliberations on the findings of the special committee by FEC, it became apparent that Mr. Emmanuel Jones Mensah’s name is not in the official Ashaiman database of the party as at 2018,“ the source said.

The party, the source added, has since put the decision on the eligibility of Emmanuel Jones Mensah on hold.

Read the full statement issued by Dr. Emmanuel Jones-Mensah below:

Thursday 20th April, 2023

DR. JONES-MENSAH FOCUSED ON VICTORY DESPITE FAKE NEWS ATTACKS

Dr. Emmanuel Kojo Jones-Mensah and his campaign team are focused and resolute on campaigning towards an emphatic victory on May 13 in Keta.

It has come to our attention that some individuals within the NDC who have a personal vendetta against Dr Jones-Mensah are behind fake media publications purporting to state that his eligibility to contest in the Keta NDC primaries as a parliamentary aspirant has been put on ice, pending further investigations.

We want to state that there's no iota of truth whatsoever in these media publications.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Volta Regional NDC Vetting Committee sitting in Dzodze on April 5 established that Dr. Jones-Mensah has valid NDC membership, dismissing an initial petition filed by one, Eric Detologo. At the national headquarters of the NDC last week Thursday April 13, the Appeals Committee heard two appeals against Dr. Jones-Mensah from Eric Detologo and Kwesi Djokoto, an aspirant in the Keta race. While the NDC 2023 guidelines guiding the internal parliamentary primaries preclude the two from appealing, the special Appeals Committee decided to hear them on the basis that they are party members.

The two appeals were found to be frivolous, without material fact and vexatious, and same were dismissed. A full report of the Appeals Committee has since been published via a communique. Per the structural workings of the NDC, the clearance by the Appeals Committee for Dr. Jones-Mensah to contest has brought finality on this matter. The scurrilous fake media agenda is an exercise in futility.

We are therefore inviting the Disciplinary Committee of the NDC to call to order the media sponsors of this needles fake news and propaganda with the aim of twisting and slanting decisions of the Vetting and Appeals Committees to cause disaffection and opprobrium.

Despite the attacks and vile media propaganda, the campaign of Dr. Jones-Mensah is focused on taking the message of unity, hope and transformation to the delegates in Keta Constituency. No amount of distraction will sway our attention until resounding victory is delivered on 13th May.

What is needed at this crucial moment of our reorganization is to be united as one family and concentrate on capturing power from the NPP in 2024 to liberate Ghanaians from their suffering and long standing hardship. Ghanaians are looking up to us and we must not fail them.

To all sympathizers, loved ones and supporters of Efo Kojo, we emplore all of you to remain calm and focused, for the victory of Dr. Jones-Mensah is perfected by the Almighty God.
The victory of the NDC is coming again!
Eye Zu !!!
Eye Za !!!

Issued by: Livingstone Pay-Charlie, CAMPAIGN MANAGER, TEAM JONES-MENSAH

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