The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has explained that findings made by the special committee established by the Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the party warranted the disqualification of Michael Nii Yarboi Annan, from contesting the party’s parliamentary primary in the Odododiodoo Constituency.
According to the party, considering the evidence presented, the special committee was unable to endorse Mr Annan’s qualification to contest the parliamentary primaries in the Odododiodoo constituency based on article 41(8)(b) of the NDC Constitution, which provides that, “a member must be an active member of the party at the constituency level for the four years immediately preceding the date of filing nominations”
The party said the Committee discovered that Mr Annan was formerly a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who contested and lost the NPP parliamentary primary in the Odododiodoo Constituency in September 2019.
It also said that during interactions with the constituency executives, a few of them expressed dissatisfaction with an ex-NPP member like Mr Annan being allowed to contest in the NDC parliamentary primary, when he doesn’t meet the mandatory four-year membership requirement.
“The Committee found that Mr Annan had financially supported the election campaign of most of the constituency executives during the 2022 constituency elections, including some of the executives who are now opposed to him. The Committee also found that Mr Annan had financially supported a number of NDC party activities in the Odododiodoo constituency with the endorsement of the Member of Parliament and members of the Constituency Executive Committee,” it stated.
The party hinted that during the committee’s discussions, it was revealed that a secret oral agreement had been arrived at, between the Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo, the Constituency Chairman and the Constituency Deputy Secretary to make Mr Annan a member of the party in the Constituency.
“The three (the MP, the Chairman, and the then Deputy Secretary) claimed, that the secret oral agreement was a strategy. Interestingly the then Constituency Secretary, who is now a parliamentary aspirant by the name Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie was excluded from this meeting. No evidence could be found to support the claim that the leadership of the party at the national level had been properly informed about this secret agreement,” the further underscored.
READ THE FULL STATEMENT FROM THE NDC HERE
PRESS STATEMENT
For Immediate Release
4th December, 2023
DISQUALIFICATION OF MICHAEL NII YARBOI ANNAN FROM CONTESTING THE NDC’S PARLIAMENTARY PRIMARY IN THE ODODODIODIO CONSTITUENCY
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has noted with dismay, some misguided reactions to the decision by the Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the party, to disqualify one Michael Nii Yarboi Annan, from contesting the party’s parliamentary primary in the Odododiodio Constituency.
These misguided reactions are being fueled by certain false narratives and misconceptions about the basis of the decision of the party to disqualify the said aspirant.
The leadership of the NDC wishes to put on public record, that the decision to disqualify the said aspirant was taken by FEC, acting on the findings and recommendations of the Special Committee that was set up to investigate the matter. This followed consultations with the Political Committee of the party.
In the spirit of transparency, probity and accountability, the party hereby publishes the full report of the Special Committee, chaired by Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho, which conducted investigations into the eligibility of Michael Nii Yarboi Annan and the violence that occurred during the vetting of Parliamentary Aspirants for the Odododiodio Constituency on October 13, 2023.
On the issue of the eligibility of Michael Nii Yarboi Annan, the committee made a number of key findings which are worth highlighting:
1. The Committee discovered that Michael Nii Yarboi Annan was formerly a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who contested and lost the NPP parliamentary primary in the Odododiodio Constituency in September 2019.
2. During interactions with the constituency executives, a few of them expressed dissatisfaction with an ex-NPP member like Mr. Annan being allowed to contest in the NDC parliamentary primary, when he doesn’t meet the mandatory four-year membership requirement.
3. The Committee found that, Mr. Annan had financially supported the election campaign of most of the constituency executives during the 2022 constituency elections, including some of the executives who are now opposed to him.
4. The Committee also found that, Mr. Annan had financially supported a number of NDC party activities in the Odododiodio constituency with the endorsement of the Member of Parliament and members of the Constituency Executive Committee.
5. During Committee discussions, it was revealed that a secret oral agreement had been arrived at, between the Member of Parliament for Odododiodio, the Constituency Chairman and the Constituency Deputy Secretary to make Mr. Annan a member of the party in the Constituency. The three (the MP, the Chairman, and the then Deputy Secretary) claimed, that the secret oral agreement was a strategy. Interestingly the then Constituency Secretary, who is now an parliamentary aspirant by name Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie, was excluded from this meeting. No evidence could be found to support the claim that the leadership of the party at the national level had been properly informed about this secret agreement.
6. The Committee found that, the “NDC Laryea House Branch” register, contains the name of Mr. Michael Nii Yarboi Annan as having been registered as a member of the NDC in 2019. A careful examination of the register showed no signs of cancellation or substitution. Neither is there any evidence that shows that the register has been tampered with.
7. The Committee found that Mr. Annan has in his possession one of the old NDC membership cards (the foldable card with membership number H200630068) showing payment of dues starting from January 2017 to 2019, even though Mr. Annan is supposed to have been registered in the database of the NDC in 2019.
8. The foldable card has Mr. Annan’s EC voter ID number as 4449012952 but a careful scrutiny revealed that the said voter ID number, was acquired in July 2020. The Committee found this to be a mystery. The committee was at a lost as to how a 2019 NDC membership card could bear an EC Voter ID card number of 2020? When questioned about this, Mr. Annan said that, the ID anomalies were not due to his actions, as the NDC registration card was presented to him by the Constituency Chairman.
9. The Committee also found, that Mr. Annan has one of the new NDC membership cards, but that card has no slot for date of issuance. Effectively, there is nothing on the face of the card to indicate when it was issued.
10. Further findings revealed that Mr. Annan held the position of Branch Chairman in Laryea’s House Branch effective 2022, even though he had not met the four-year requirement to be a branch executive in accordance with the Constitution and the branch reorganization guidelines of the party.
11. Despite Mr. Annan’s claim of joining the NDC in 2019, evidence was adduced to show that he was still publicly associating with the NPP after 2019. Examples are:
a. a poster with the face of Mr. Annan, advertising a political discussion on a program known as “The Voice” (which is an NPP program) to take place on July 27, 2020, in which he was described as “a security analyst and member of the NPP”, and spoke on behalf of the NPP.
Mr. Annan did not dispute this when questioned. As a matter of fact, Mr. Annan actually went for the programme and spoke as a representative of the NPP.
b. a Facebook post dated February 12, 2021, in which Mr Annan indicated that he had officially informed some opinion leaders and members of his campaign team of his decision to defect from the NPP to the NDC.
In the light of the foregoing facts, the committee among other things, recommended as follows;
“Considering the overwhelming evidence presented, the Special Committee is unable to endorse Mr. Michael Nii Yarboi Annan’s qualification to contest the parliamentary primaries in the Odododiodio constituency based on article 41(8)(b) of the NDC Constitution, which provides that, “a member must be an active member of the party at the constituency level for the four years immediately preceding the date of filing nominations”.
The Functional Executive Committee upheld and adopted the well-grounded recommendations of the Adjaho Committee, which clearly established that Mr. Michael Nii Yarboi Annan is not qualified to contest in the NDC’s parliamentary primaries in the Odododiodio Constituency.
Indisputable evidence of the key findings made by the Adjaho committee are contained in the attached report.
It is important to emphasize, that throughout the conduct of the party’s parliamentary primaries from last year till date, any aspirant who has been found to be in breach of the mandatory 4-year membership requirement, has been disqualified by the party. It cannot be different for Michael Nii Yarboi Annan.
The NDC is a party that is governed by established rules and principles of equity, fairness and justice. No member of the party is bigger than or above the party.
The Constitution of the party has clearly provided internal procedures and mechanisms for addressing intra-party grievances. Any member of the party who is aggrieved by a decision of the party is hereby entreated to seek redress, in strict adherence to the dictates of the Constitution of the party.
Notice is hereby served, that any member who disregards or violates the laid down grievance resolution procedures of the party will be severely dealt with in accordance with law. The leadership of the party will not countenance any acts of indiscipline, vandalism and anti-party behaviour, that have the potential to bring the name of the party into disrepute.
SIGNED.
HON. FIFI FIAVI KWETEY
GENERAL SECRETARY
