The GH¢ 420,000.00 fee that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has slapped on the nomination filing process for the 2020 Presidential ticket has provoked sympathy money for Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.
In the wake of some Branch, Constituency and Regional Executives of the party promising to pool resources for the Nadowli-Kaleo MP to file, some Akatamansonians in the Diaspora are also promising funds.
Some executives of the NDC in the US are pledging Mr Bagbin monetary support as they called on him to rescind his decision to step out of the race.
“We add our voices to those of some forward looking brothers and sisters back home who have already promised to contribute monies to help Alban Bagbin file his nomination. We are pledging $100,000 as our contribution,” a statement signed by Selasie Mawuenyegah Alorfa promised.
This promise, which was in a statement and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra followed another by some sitting and former MPs to raise money for Mr Bagbin.
Dated December 2, 2018, the statement said the US based members of the NDC were keenly observing things at home and hoping that the National Executive Committee of the party would see reason to change the price tag.
“However, we wish to make it abundantly clear that if NEC does not come to reason and change this amount which gives the impression that NDC is available for the taking to the highest bidder, we are ready to make the money available for Mr Alban Bagbin to file.
“2020 is not going to be a joke and we are going to ensure that our best is what we have on our Presidential ticket,” the statement said.
“If we, in opposition are demanding these huge sums of money as a pre-condition for the opportunity to serve the motherland through our party, then how do we assume the moral high ground to criticise the NPP which even though a capitalist oriented party has never made such a demand on its aspirants?
“We wish to make it clear to NEC that this huge amount being demanded of our flagbearer aspirants is outrageous and we are inclined to believe that the intent is to frustrate others from contesting.
“We add our voice to those of all discerning Ghanaians to call on NEC to beat an immediate retreat, and we do so while cautioning that if we force this outrageous amount on the aspirants and it in turn forces them to step out, we would just be arming our opponent, the NPP, with propaganda ammunition against us. NEC must do the needful and cut down the price tag.”
The statement however reiterated that the US based members of the party were ready to pay for Mr Bagbin to file if the price tag by NEC was allowed to stand.
–
GNA
