Politics of Tuesday, 4 March 2008

Source: GNA

Nii Tackie Komme files nomination for NDC Odododiodioo slot

Accra, March 4, GNA - The incumbent National Democratic Congress MP, Mr Jonathan Nii Tackie Komme and two others have filed their papers to contest for the Odododiodioo slot in this year's election when nomination closed on Monday.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra, the Constituency Chairman, Mr. Daniel Nii Okai, said the two other contestants were Mr Benjamin Okai, former Constituency Vice Chairman and Mr Walid Anyetei Laryea, a businessman, who filed their nomination on Saturday. A fourth person who collected forms, Mr Abbas Cofie, had not submitted his papers when nomination closed.

He said that, all the four who declared their intention to contest and collected the forms paid the fee of 50 Ghana Cedis each for the papers, adding that, the three who filed their papers, including the MP paid the 1,000 Ghana cedis in non-refundable bank draft each as nomination fee when the submitted their filled forms. Mr Okai explained that, after the submission of the forms, the contestants would be vetted by the Constituency and Regional executives together to find out their suitability and approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC) based on the recommendation of the Vetting Committee.

He stated that after the NEC scrutiny and approval a date for a Constituency Delegates Conference would be fixed to decide on who would contest the elections as the Parliamentary Candidate of the NDC. The Constituency Chairman explained further that Mr Benjiman Okai tendered in his resignation as the Vice Chairman to contest for the NDC slot in line with the party's regulation.

Mr Tackie Komme, who was accompanied by branch executives who had endorsed his nomination presented his papers with the bankers draft and party card, to the Constituency Chairman.

Speaking before the presentation, Mr Festus Bekoe, Constituency Vice Chairman, stressed the need for party discipline to ensure that the NDC retained the seat.

He stressed the neutrality of the executives in the campaign before the delegates' conference to create "a level playing field" for all of the contestants and enumerated the problems militating against the smooth running of the constituency office.

Nii Tackie Komme promised to ensure that the office operated in a congenial atmosphere until the end of his tenure in December. He stated that he decided to run again following appeals by many branch executives and party members for him to continue in appreciation for his work as an MP.