Former Finance Minister Dr Kwabena Duffuor says it is untrue that due to the incidents surrounding his withdrawal from the National Democratic Congres (NDC) presidential race last week, he intends to resign from the party.
The disappointed NDC presidential hopeful said he is committed to the largest opposition party and is not leaving to form a new party.
He called for unity among the various divisions in the party to “get to work” to enable NDC to win the election 2024.
“I have become aware of some concerns from the rank and file of the NDC, that I intend to leave the NDC to form another party. I wish to state that I have no such intentions and remain committed to the NDC as I have always been.
“The NDC is my home as it is for us all, and I will always remain loyal to our party. Let us come together towards the cause of victory for our party and progress for our nation. The NDC belongs to us, and we have a charge to keep its flame burning. So let us get to work”.
The former governor of the Bank of Ghana formally withdrew from the flagbearership contest after he went to court to injunct the primaries which was to come off on Saturday, May 13.
After the court dismissed his injunction and gave the party the green light to hold the primaries, Dr Kwabena Duffuor held a press conference to announce his withdrawal.
He stated that his decision is based on his grievances with the processes surrounding the party’s upcoming primaries; especially the voters register.
According to him, the exercise has been marred by a lot of irregularities; a situation which has not been resolved by the leadership of the party.
On the back of this, he, therefore, stressed that he will no longer vie for the flagbearership of the NDC; adding he’ll still keep in touch with the grassroots.
But in his press statement on Monday, May 15, he explained; “As Ghana’s leading opposition party, the Ghanaian people are looking up to us to deliver the much-needed political change this country needs.
“This would require us to upscale our vigilance and insist that the right democratic processes are followed before and during the 2024 elections. It was in the spirit of this that I insisted that we address the challenges that were fraught with our voters register and photo album, which resulted in my withdrawal from the presidential race.”
Putting the internal politics aside, Dr Duffuor was emphatic that he remains “committed to the continuity of this project and looks forward to more of such engagements with our party base. The story of the NDC is a story of ordinary people coming together to challenge broken systems of cronyism.”
Below is the full statement:
I remain with the NDC – Dr Kwabena Duffuor
I have become aware of some concerns from the rank and file of the NDC, that I intend to leave the NDC to form another party. I wish to state that I have no such intentions and remain committed to the NDC as I have always been. The NDC is my home as it is for us all and I will always remain loyal to our party. Let us come together towards the cause of victory for our party and progress for our nation. The NDC belongs to us and we have a charge to keep its flame burning. So let us get to work.
When I joined the race for the flagbearership of the National Democratic Congress, I was motivated by a desire to see our party thrive as the political party of choice for every Ghanaian. Today, that motivation remains unchanged. Like many before me, I understand that the collective good of our party overrides our personal goals and desires.
The internal contest of ideas we engage in is simply a means to a common end to build upon the hard-on legacy we have come to meet. But if there is anything more I have gained from this period, it is a deepening of my love for this great party from the stories of people I was privileged to meet on the campaign trail. As such, I remain committed towards the cause of the NDC as I have in times past, for as long as our quest for a better Ghana endures.
As Ghana’s leading opposition party, the Ghanaian people are looking up to us to deliver the much-needed political change this country needs. This would require us to upscale our vigilance and insist that the right democratic processes are followed before and during the 2024 elections. It was in the spirit of this that I insisted that we address the challenges that were fraught with our voters register and photo album, which resulted in my withdrawal from the presidential race.
If we are to succeed as a party in reaching our political goals, we cannot afford to compromise on our founding ideals of probity and accountability. Those virtues are the torch that guides our party and gives purpose to all we do. Without them, we will lose our identity and our ability to hold others accountable in similar circumstances.
As part of my contribution to the party’s reorganisation agenda, I launched the Ahotor Project to strengthen our grassroots and ensure they are financially independent and can work effectively ahead of election 2024. I remain committed to the continuity of this project and look forward to more of such engagements with our party base. The story of the NDC is a story of ordinary people coming together to challenge broken systems of cronyism.
It is a story underscored by a movement of Ghanaians, resolute in building a country where they could all belong. These origins cannot be taken for granted. In a time of widening inequality and economic despair, we must set the pace for collective development. We are who we are because of the strength of our roots and must continue to build the NDC from the ground up. It is the key to our future and the engine of the Ghanaian Dream.
God bless the NDC and our nation Ghana and make her great and strong.
Signed:
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor May 15, 2023
