The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has cautioned its members, who aspire to be the party’s parliamentary candidates in the 2024 elections, to desist from courting disaffection for sitting parliamentarians in the course of their campaigns.

The party’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, in a statement also indicated that such campaigning activities should cease immediately as the party is yet to formally open the period for internal party campaign activities.

According to the statement, some aspirants are courting hatred and malice against sitting legislators in the various constituencies by claiming that the sitting MPs have neglected their constituencies, among others.

“It has come to the attention of the National executive committee of NDC that some individuals who intend to contest for the party’s 2024 Parliamentary primaries are going round constituencies with sitting MPs instigating hatred and malice against them. These individuals, amongst other things, have been alleging that some of our MPs have abandoned the constituencies and prefer to stay in Accra… The party wishes to inform its numerous members and sympathizers across the country that it has become necessary for all our 137 members of Parliament to be present in Parliament at all times to perform duties that are extremely of importance to the nation and their constituencies, hence their unavailability to be in the constituencies at regular times as used to be the case,” the statement indicated.

The NDC is yet to officially open nominations for internal elections, such as the election of parliamentary candidates for the 2024 elections, but some aspirants have already hit the ground running with campaigns in their various constituencies.

Asiedu Nketiah warned that persons who are found to be campaigning outside the official yet-to-be-announced period “could face sanctions, including the possibility of being disqualified from contesting when the time comes.”

He further urged all members of the party to desist from any activity that will bring the name of the party into disrepute.