I can't mobilse GH¢420,000 filing fee - Bagbin plans to exit NDC race

Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament,

According to him, he will not pick the nominations form and file and cited reasons that he cannot afford to pay the money.

He said "I will not pick the form and I will not file and I will make it known that it is not because I cannot mobilse."

Some flagbearer aspirants of the NDC are unhappy about the party pegging its filing fee at a whopping GH¢420,000.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NDC agreed that all male flagbearer aspirants will pay GH¢420,000 as filing fee.

But Bagbin in an interview on Accra based Okay FM said his decision to withdraw from the race is to prove a point, although he will be able to moblise the amount.

"You will be right to say that I will not be part of it and I mean what I say. If they want to continue, it’s not that I can’t mobilise, I have supporters who are ready to do that. I have received so many calls from all over the country. People are prepared to contribute for me to do that," he added.

He said paying the amount would be self-serving adding that "It’s just to put up a point because I didn't go into politics to serve myself, and I went into politics to serve the society, to serve the people, and I don't believe that path will lead to serving the people. I believe that that path will lead to self-serving rather than serving the people."

However, former President Jerry John Rawlings has tasked leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to take a second look at their 'controversial'' filing fee for Presidential aspirants.

He said the 'huge' amount avers from the tenets on which the party was formed.

According to the Founder of the NDC, "I doubt if anyone of us who has served with integrity, relying on our salaries can raise these filing fees unless we engaged in some unethical behaviour while in office; unless we abused or misused our positions during our tenure."