An Accra High Court has granted an interlocutory injunction barring the NDC from proceeding with its presidential primaries.

According to the court, the injunction is valid for 10 days after which the plaintiffs can apply for a renewal.

The court said it granted the injunction after perusing the affidavit [of first plaintiff, Abdallah Issah] in support of the motion and upon hearing the submission of the counsel for the plaintiffs, Christopher King.

“It is hereby ordered that the respondents, their committees, agents, private servants, or authorised bodies or all persons acting through them be restrained from proceeding with the NDC 2019 Presidential elections in the manner outlined in the guidelines as amended or until the final determination of the suit,” the order sighted by Myjoyonline said.

This comes after some seven aspirants have already filed their nominations to run the presidential candidate position.

They include, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament; Alban Bagbin, former SSNIT Board Chair; Joshua Alabi, former Trades Minister; Spio Garbrah, former NHIS boss, Sylvester Mensah, former breakaway leader, Goosie Tanoh, businessman; Nurudeen Iddrisu and former President John Mahama who led the party to the heaviest defeat in the history of the fourth republic in 2016.

Possible cause of Suit

Despite the very little information available, the suit filed by Abdallah Issah and James Kafu Nartey-Oman cannot be described as unexpected.

When the party first announced the guidelines for the primaries, eight disgruntled aspirants petitioned the Council of Elders threatening to boycott the process.

Among other demands, they asked for a reduction of the filing fees which was increased by 700%, from GH¢50,000 in 2016 when the party was in power to GH¢ 400,000.

Read:  NDC presidential aspirants to cough GH¢420k, primaries

They also asked for the General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia and Chairman of the party, Sam Ofosu Ampofo to recuse themselves from the primaries, accusing them of bias toward a particular candidate.

The Council of Elders intervened and the amount was reduced to GH¢300,000

However, the disgruntled aspirants petitioned the Council of Elders again, demanding a further reduction of the fees amid other demands.