NDC presidential hopeful takes case to Pantang Hospital
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) member challenging President John Dramani Mahama has taken his quest for credibility to the Pantang Psychiatric Hospital, where he is seeking to check on his mental state.
Mr George Boateng, who has vowed to contest President Mahama for the party’s presidential slot, checked into the hospital Monday in the afternoon, according to Adomonline.
In a daring move to remove the insanity tag around his neck, the presidential hopeful, whose ambition has been met with strong words from the party hierarchy, said he had learnt of a clandestine plot by the party leadership to let President Mahama contest unopposed.
NDC hierarchy sabotage?
“I have information that Asiedu Nketiah and the rest want to disqualify me on the basis that I’m mentally sick, and I will never allow that to happen. So to ensure that they don’t use that against me, I have decided to go for a test at the Pantang Hospital by 10 a.m. sharp today (Monday).
“The media can follow me and cover the event as I want the public to be witnesses. I’m confident that the doctor, after examining me, will give me the clearance. After that is done, I’ll move straight to the headquarters for another form,” he told the radio station.
“The medical doctors will clear me so that the person could know that I am of sound mind to rule the nation,” Mr Boateng said.
Mental health check not one day affair
But speaking to the Daily Graphic, a Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Mr George Lawson, dismissed the assertion, saying “can a normal person go to the psychiatric hospital just because people are talking about his state of mind?”
He said Mr Boateng knew there was something wrong with him, hence the decision to go to the hospital.
“Assessing a mental state is not a one-day medical check-up. It is a series of tests,” he said, ostensibly pointing to the hurdle the President’s challenger must clear to be credible to contest the race.
Mr Boateng picked his form Monday last week to contest the presidential aspirant race but was told later that his form was actually a draft.
Administrative officers of the party, who issued the form, are said to have been sacked for failing to follow the party’s guideline, which states that only the General Secretary can issue the presidential aspirant form.
Mr Boateng has since claimed that the party hierarchy wants to sabotage his presidential dream in President Mahama’s favour.
The presidential hopeful’s cause has also not been helped by some of his utterances, which include the fact that he would legalise marijuana when he becomes President.
“The government can export marijuana and use the proceeds to develop the country,” he told Accra-based Asempa FM on Monday last week.
According to Mr Boateng, legalising marijuana would create jobs for the youth.
“We will grow and export it [marijuana] under government control. It will help us. Wee is not a bad thing," he said.
Primaries date
The NDC goes to its primaries on November 7, 2015 to elect its flag bearer and parliamentary candidates.
Nominations were, therefore, opened on August 27, 2015 and are expected to close on September 10, 2015 before vetting and other processes.
The NDC party has expanded its Electoral College for the primaries by giving each card-bearing member a voting right in the election of candidates to reduce vote buying.
