Will NDC Select Mahama As Flagbearer?...NEC Decides On Thursday

Peacefmonline.com can confirm that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) will meet on Thursday to decide the political future of President John Dramani Mahama, who was sworn into office Tuesday, July 24th.

Thursday's meeting, according to sources, is in accordance with party�s constitution and will deal with the fate of President John Mahama as a possible flagbearer of the party or whether the party will opt to go for another congress to elect a flagbearer.

President John Evans Atta Mills died Tuesday, July 24, 2012 and left vacancies, not only at the presidency, but also on the NDC�s presidential ticket.

Mr. Dramani Mahama, the former Vice-President, was sworn into office hours later, in accordance with Article 60 (6 -10) of the 1992 Constitution.

But the void in the presidential slot of the NDC remain unfilled.

Though in line with Article 26:1 of the NDC Constitution ["The president of the Republic who is a member of the Party is the leader of the Party when it is in government�], President John Mahama was named leader of the NDC after a brief Functional Executive Council (FEC) Meeting on Wednesday, Article 44 of the same Constitution, which talks about the election of a flagbearer for the party, is completely silent on what happens after the death of a sitting flagbearer before national elections.

But Article 50 gives residual powers to the National Executive, stating that �Where on any Party matter there is no provision in this Constitution which deals with that matter, the National Executive Committee shall, by regulations, provide for that matter to be dealt with.�

Speaking to the media on the issue, NDCs General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, dismissed reports that the second placed person at the party�s congress automatically becomes the flagbearer.

Had that been the case, Former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, would have been the NDCs flagbearer.

Mrs Rawlings was electoral thumped by the late president John Mills when she polled a paltry 90 votes at the last congress held in Sunyani.

According to Mr Asiedu Nketia, the NDC�s constitution is silent on what to do in the event a flagbearer dies and has to be replaced stressing that nowhere in their constitution is it stated that the person who placed second at congress automatically becomes the flagbearer.

�We do not have any clause in the party�s constitution that deals with the replacement of an elected flagbearer. Then we have to look at Article 50 of the party�s constitution that gives residual powers to the NEC to take a decision, to make rules, to govern any situation that has not been anticipated and provided for in the constitution,� he explained.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana