GHS420K Fee: 'Mahama can only comply' – Agyenim-Boateng

Former President John Dramani Mahama has no option than to comply with the GHS400,000 filing fee and GHS20,000 nomination fee set by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for flag bearer aspirants ahead of the 2020 elections, his spokesperson James Agyenim-Boateng has said.

According to Mr Agyenim-Boateng, the party’s constitution mandates the NEC to outline measures for the progress of the party, therefore, as a law-abiding Ghanaian and member of the party, Mr Mahama, who is seeking to the lead the party again into the 2020 presidential elections, will have no alternative than to obey the new guidelines.

Mr Agyenim Boateng told Kwabena Bobie Ansah on the ‘Citizen Show’ on Accra100.5FM on Thursday, 29 November that: “Former President Mahama has always subjected himself to the rules of the party and, so, if this is what the party executives are saying, he has no option than to accept it and follow through.

“The party’s constitution gives the NEC the power to decide for the NDC, so, the aspirants can only comply.”

Mr Agyenim-Boateng further stated that a lot of Mr Mahama’s loyalists have shown commitment to support him to raise the amount.

“Several supporters of Mr Mahama want to help him raise the GHS420,000 for the filing fees. Even before the announcement of the filing fees, Asawase NDC executives came out to pledge to support Mr Mahama financially. A lot of people have shown that they are more than ready and willing to support him,” he added.

All male flag bearer aspirants of the NDC are expected to pay GHS400,000 as filing fee while female flag bearer aspirants are to pay GHS200,000 and persons with disability aspiring to the same position are to pay GHS150,000.

The nomination form for the flag bearer slot is going for GHS20,000.

Also, the parliamentary aspirants are expected to pay GHS20,000 as filing fees. Female parliamentary aspirants will pay half of that.

The party took the decision at a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday, 29 November at the party’s headquarters in Accra. According to the party, all aspirants have up to 10 days to submit the [properly filled forms].

Meanwhile, Nii Amassah Namoale, a former Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, has called on all the flag bearer aspirants to reject the amount.

According to the Campaign Coordinator for one of the aspirants, Prof Joshua Alabi, the amount is “outrageous”.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme on Thursday, 29 November 2018, Mr Namoale said: “In fact, the amount is outrageous and unreasonable but this is a NEC decision. We will like to appeal to the Council of Elders to meet with the NEC to review that amount."

He added that: "The unreasonableness is on the date, you cannot use 10 days to tour the whole country to sign on the form; you can't. [It] ... is too short a time..."

"No matter what, Prof Alabi will still contest. I will plead with the other flag bearer aspirants including former president Mahama to reject the amount, the fee should come below GHS100,000", he said.