The Greater Accra Constituency Chairmen of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has presented a cheque of four hundred and five thousand Ghana cedis (Ghc405,000) to the party’s presumptive flag bearer, Mr. John Dramani Mahama in fulfillment of their pledge earlier this year to support the former president in paying his filing fee ahead of the presidential primaries on May 13. The Chairmen were welcomed by the former president in his Ridge office in Accra on Wednesday 17th March 2023, exactly two months after the group called on Mr. Mahama to officially introduce themselves to him and also declared their support for his second term presidential bid.
On Tuesday, 17th January this year, the constituency chairmen led by the Dome-Kwabenya Chairman, Mr. Isaac Nii Lante Lamptey called on former president Mahama to officially introduce themselves and declare their support for him in the upcoming presidential primaries. In that meeting, Mr. Lamptey on behalf of the group stated, among other issues discussed that “Mr. President we’re ready to pay your filing fee for the upcoming primaries because we believe we can only win 2024 with you”.
The Chairmen, who were in the company of some of their donors handed over the cheque to Mr. Mahama. The presidential filing fee of the NDC is pegged at Ghc500,000, which makes the Ghc405,000 support from the group a shortfall by only Ghc95,000. Receiving the donation, the former president expressed his appreciation to the Constituency Chairmen for the gesture. “You promised me that you were all solidly behind me…you made a pledge and I know how hard our country is at this time, so I can understand that it’s taken quite a lot to raise this kind of money. In Ghana today Ghc405,000 is not easy to get…that has virtually taken care of all the filing fee. But it’s not even in the quantum of money, I appreciate more the symbolism of it, the effort to be a part of the funding”, John Mahama noted.
The NDC Parliamentary and presidential primaries come off on May 13 later this year. A former Governor of the Bank of Ghana and finance minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, former Kumasi Mayor, Kojo Bonsu, and businessman Ernest Kwaku Krobea are the other three who have picked Nominations Forms to contest the primaries. However, John Dramani Mahama is seen as the presumptive flag bearer, as he is tipped by all to win the primaries by not less than 90% of the votes.
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