Former Deputy Information Minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu has criticized certain National Democratic Congress leaders for their alleged direct interference in the party's recently concluded primaries.
Mr. Ofosu, speaking on PM Express on JoyNews, accused some party leaders of interfering with the election at the constituency level and stated that these actions could cause divisions within the party.
He explained that those who lost the quest to represent their constituencies in the 2024 general election would feel insulted and not contribute to the party's future development.
Mr. Ofosu Kwakye stated on Monday, "It is not uncommon for the party to favor one candidate over another for one or two reasons.
In such situations, dialogue is used to convince the individual who will be negatively affected of the necessity of making the sacrifice.
But if you do not do this and instead attempt to circumvent or distort the process in an unfair manner, you will encounter difficulties."
"Because anyone who loses an election and feels that the process was not fair, it was not balanced, and that things were done in a way to undermine his or her chances has difficulty participating in any reconciliatory process," Mr. Ofosu explained.
He clarified that the national leadership should fulfill their responsibilities and act to advance the party's interests.
Mr. Ofosu, who won the Abura Asebu-Kwamankese candidacy on Saturday, stated, "I had a challenge with a national organiser, which resulted in some controversy, but what business did a national organiser have interfering in a constituency election like that, and it's not the only place he's accused of that."
He urged the national leadership to crack the whip on some of these actions, arguing that if people are not brought to order, it could be difficult to reconcile the party, particularly in the case of MPs who lost their candidacy.
"Consensus building is the best form of democracy, but that does not mean you can sidestep the process, treat someone unfairly, and expect them to come and bother you just because you have national power. I expect the reconciliatory process to be deeper, not superficial or shallow, because people have been offended."
Mr. Ofosu added, "I expect the national leadership to take this issue seriously and to put in place structures that prevent people in such positions from interfering in such a manner in constituencies where such contests are taking place in the future."
The Deputy National Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, has urged Mr. Ofosu Kwakye and other MPs with grievances to officially communicate them to the party leadership in order to help unite the party prior to the 2024 elections.
"The efforts of the National Executive Committee are to address the concerns of elected members and how to bring up those who have lost the elections so that the family can move forward," he said on Tuesday's Top Story.
He added, "NEC, led by the chairman, is positioned to reconcile the party with the presidential candidate so that we enter 2024 as a unified front."