The National Democratic Congress (NDC) leadership is pleading with the supporters of the two candidates in the recently concluded parliamentary primaries in the Ketu North seat to put down their weapons.
After Saturday’s parliamentary primary in the constituency, there was some media teasing between the two candidates, Edem Agbana and John Adanu Zewu, due to the tie.
The former NDC deputy national youth organizer Edem Agbana received 360 votes, while John Adanu Zewu received 359 votes.
Zewu requested a recount, but there was a tie as a result. Despite the Electoral Commission (EC)’s (the electoral management organization) failure to proclaim a winner, Edem asserted in a news release that he was the victor.
The party urged the supporters of the two front-runners to display caution while it worked to address the concerns regarding the outcome of the election in the seat in a statement signed by James Gunu, the NDC’s regional secretary.
The party also cautioned supporters of the two candidates against making statements that would incite enmity.
“As the leadership of the party in the Region, we wish to reassure the grassroots members of the party in the Ketu North constituency that the will of the delegates will not be overridden,” the party declared. In order to improve our political prospects by keeping the parliamentary seat and widening our margin of victory in the presidential election on December 7, 2024, all we want is for calm, restraint, unity, and cohesiveness in the Ketu North constituency.
“The office would like to appeal to the supporters of the various candidates in the recently concluded NDC parliamentary primaries in the Ketu North seat and other areas of the Volta Region to avoid dividing attitudes and work for unity. We should all respect the party institutions and refrain from doing anything that may harm our party’s political prospects as the party leadership works to resolve the concerns surrounding the election result in the constituency.
Here is the NDC statement:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
15/05/2023
CALL FOR CALM AND MEDIA SOBRIETY ON KETU NORTH PARLIAMENTARY PRIMARIES
The Volta Regional Secretariat of the National Democratic Congress hereby calls on its members, the media and the general public to remain calm and exercise utmost circumspection on matters relating to the Ketu North NDC parliamentary elections held last Saturday, May 13, 2023.
We are particularly concerned about the excessive and intemperate media discussions in the aftermath of the parliamentary primaries in the Ketu North constituency thereby raising the political temperature. While we welcome freedom of expression and of speech in our fledgling multiparty democracy, we wish to caution that it is done with civility and circumspection. As the media continue to roll out its platform for us to engage in political discourse, we also wish to advise that these platforms are not turned into the promotion of hate, insults and the use of intemperate language.
The Secretariat wishes to call on supporters of the various contestants in the just ended NDC parliamentary primaries in the Ketu North constituency and other parts of the Volta Region to eschew divisive tendencies and work for unity. As the party leadership works to resolve the issues surrounding the outcome of the election in the constituency, we should all respect the party structures and not do anything untoward that will be inimical to the political fortunes of our party.
For those who do not know or understand the socio-political history, culture and local dynamics of Ketu North politics and wish to reap political dividends from this family contest, our advice to them is that they should stay clear of utterances which have the potential to inflame passions and complicate the situation.
We wish to reiterate that no political machination can break or divide the NDC in Ketu North.
As the leadership of the party in the Region, we wish to assure the rank and file of the party in the Ketu North constituency, that the will of the delegates will not be subverted. All we call for is calm, restraint, unity and cohesion in Ketu North constituency so that we can enhance our political fortunes by retaining the parliamentary seat and increasing the margin of victory in the presidential election come December 7, 2024.
Signed
James GUNU
Regional Secretary
