Renowned pollster, Ben Ephson has described as “problematic” if persons seeking to lead the National Democratic Congress (NDC) into the 2020 elections are unable to raise the GHC400,000 filing fee slapped on them.
His comments comes on the heels of the party’s decision to charge GHC20,000 for nomination and GHC400,000 for filing.
According to him, one of the qualities of a flagbearer is his ability to raise funds for his party and therefore he will be surprise to hear flagbearer hopefuls of the NDC complain about the exorbitance of both the nomination form and the filing fee which has been pegged at GHC420,000.
Speaking on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa Fm, Ben Ephson told host Kwaku Owusu Adjei, “The money is big but I believe anyone who wants to be flagbearer, you have to be able to raise the money somehow because, in this country if you are the flagbearer, you will have to raise money towards the party’s campaign both for the presidential and the parliamentary. So if at this stage you can’t raise GHC420,000 to pay for your nomination, for me it’s a problem”.
He however feels aspirant’s inability to raise funds even as flagbearer hopeful is enough ground for disqualification, because “If you are an aspirant and you are asking how you are going to raise the fund, then if you are made flagbearer how are you going to raise funds for the party. In this country when people have confidence in you, they help”.
Meanwhile, Stephen Atubiga, a flagbearer hopeful has mounted a strong opponent to the party’s decision to charge such ‘absurd’ amount.
According to him, the said amount is an indictment on the party’s social democratic credentials.
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Kasapa fm
