PNC announces timelines for internal elections… Awingobit to contest presidential primary

The People’s National Convention (PNC) has announced timelines for its internal elections with its regional and national executive polls scheduled for January 15 to 31 and March 2, 2024, respectively.

This will be followed by the presidential primary on March 24, 2024 to elect a flag bearer for the party for the December 7, national election.

The party has also fixed the filing fees for the presidential aspirants at GH¢100, 000 while those going for the positions of National Chairperson, National Vice Chairperson and General Secretary are to pay GH¢35, 000 and GH¢25, 000 respectively.

Those going for national organiser position will pay GH¢15, 000 while for the national women’s organiser, national treasurer, and national youth organiser position are to pay GH¢10, 000 as filing fees and their deputies GH¢5, 000.

For the regional elections, chairperson, vice chairperson and regional secretary aspirants are to pay GH¢3,000 and GH¢2,000 respectively as filing fees while those going for the regional organiser, youth, women and treasurer positions are to pay GH¢1,500 and their deputies GH¢500. 

Women contestants

A statement issued and signed by the General Secretary of the PNC, Janet Asana Nabla to announce the timelines for the elections said women contestants in all positions are only required to pay half of the specified amount for their respective positions.

It said nomination forms could also be purchased at the cost of GH¢200 for the regional elections, GH¢500 for the national elections, and GH¢2, 000 for the presidential election. 

Awingobit

Meanwhile a stalwart of the party, Sampson Asaaki Awingobit, has declared his intention to contest the upcoming presidential primary of the party.

Mr Awingobit would be attempting the flag bearer slot for the second time, having contested in 2020 and placed second to David Apasera. He polled 789 votes as against 1,315 votes garnered by Mr Apasera.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Tema, Mr Awingobit, who is also the Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association, said he was better placed to lead the PNC in moving Ghana beyond the duopoly of the two main political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NPP).

Late start

The PNC flag bearer hopeful, while commending the leadership of the party for publishing the roadmap, said the processes should have started earlier to offer the prospective aspirants adequate time to prepare for the 2024 general election.

Mr Awingobit argued that an early roadmap would have allowed aspirants time to campaign ahead of the date for the primary to offer them enough time to engage with delegates.

That notwithstanding, he said, it was an improvement of the 2020 processes where elections were held less than three months to the general election.

On the filing fees, Mr Awingobit said it was too high and called for a review, saying he and other aspirants, who would emerge for the race, would engage the party leadership to consider a review of the fees at all levels of the contest.

While admitting that the party would need a lot of resources to strategise and execute its campaign, the party must also make room for loyal, committed and competent members to contest for positions in the party.

He said in 2020, the filing fee for presidential aspirants was pegged at GH¢30,000 but at the end of the day, they paid GH¢20,000 and it was as a result of the candidates who came together to appeal for it to be reduced.

Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh