"Taking part in such election would be akin to knowingly drinking from a poisoned calabash"- Duffour

Presidential Hopeful of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Kwabena Duffuor says taking part in an untrue and unfair election would be akin to knowingly drinking from a poisoned calabash.

According to Dr. Duffuor, he cannot contest in an election which is blantanly fraught with irregularities regardless of his efforts to draw attention to same.

Addressing Journalists in Accra, he said "I wish to reiterate my commitment to the party and its grassroots. However, my concerns that the party is not ready to conduct free and fair election is evident for all to see"

"Taking part in such would be akin to knowingly drinking from a poisoned calabash"

Dr. Kwabena Duffuor further revealed that after consulting with his support base nationwide, he was left with no choice but yo to withdraw from the Presidential elections.

"On Thursday 11th May, 2023, the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, in the company of Madam Betty Mould met with me and my team to discuss the challenges relating to the voters' register"

"It was decided at the meeting that there should be a follow-up meeting with the leadership of the party and the council of elders"

"At the meeting chaired by the former Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho, all stakeholders at the meeting agreed that the party Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia would immediately set up a technical team comprising the technical representatives from the 3 Presidential Aspirants and the party’s election committee to determine how soon the irregularities with the voters register could be resolved in readiness for the Presidential Primaries"

"The technical committee was to subsequently submit a report to parties after this had been determined. As I speak with you, our technical team is currently at the party’s headquarters to undertake this activity"

He stressed that despite the assurances given to him and his team by the Chairman of the party, the executives in an act of complete and unacceptable breach of faith, went ahead to convene a preser conference announcing that the elections would come off on May 13.

Expressing disappointment, he noted that the NDC party begun distributing the ballot papers to the various regions and constituencies without his involvement.

Below is acopy of the release:

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith