NDC Endorses Tackie Komme for Odododiodoo Bye-Election

Accra, July 28, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Thursday selected Jonathan Tackie Komme as its candidate to contest the Ododoidiodoo Constituency bye-election after the intervention Professor John Evans Atta Mills, 2004 Presidential Candidate of the Party. The decision was reached after long hours of discussions with various interest groups. This means the Party could beat the 1700 hours Thursday's deadline for the filing of nomination papers.

The Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the Party, in a statement Mr Bede A, Ziedeng, Acting General Secretary signed, said: "In view of the writ, which was served on the Party seeking an injunction to restrain the NDC from nominating Mr Walid Laryea to contest the primary election for the purpose of electing a Parliamentary Candidate for the Odododiodoo Constituency bye-election; and in view of the fact that there is not enough time to conduct a Constituency Conference before the close of filing of nominations today, Thursday 28th July 2005, the Functional Executive Committee (FEC), on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in the exercise of residual powers conferred on it under Article 49 of the NDC Constitution, has endorsed Mr Jonathan Tackie Komme as the NDC Parliamentary Candidate for the Odododiodoo bye election."

The statement said: "The FEC has taken this decision in view of the fact that, in the absence of Mr Walid Laryea, Mr Jonathan Tackie Komme remained the sole candidate for the primary election. "The Party expresses its appreciation to Mr Walid Laryea for his cooperation with the Party Leadership in arriving at an amicable solution to the problem. "The NDC wishes to appeal to all its members and particularly those in the Odododiodoo constituency to bury their differences and come to fight the Odododiodoo bye-election," the statement said.

Mr Ziedeng told the GNA that at a meeting with the various interest groups, Mr Laryea said he would contest the seat as an independent candidate. However, after Prof. Mills had spoken to him, he gave the Party the promise that he would step down and cooperate. Mr Ziedeng said a writ by three Executive Members of the Cow Lane Cell against the Party and the Electoral Commission had not been served on them.

The writ, among other things, seeks to restrain the Electoral Commission from proceeding with the bye-election on August 30 or any date until the NDC held its primary. The NDC on Sunday disqualified Mr Laryea from contesting the primary because he did not have all the requisite qualifications. The decision led to confusion at the Primary and its postponement. On Tuesday, the Party reviewed the decision to disqualify Mr Laryea saying it was doing so in the "supreme interest of the Party" and asked for fresh nominations until 1400 hours on Tuesday. However, on Wednesday it was hit by a writ by Mr Komme's supporters seeking to restrain the Party from nominating Mr Laryea as a candidate.