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The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) Youth Organizer in the Volta Region, Egypt Kobla Kudoto, has ruled out the possibility of “skirt and blouse” voting in the upcoming 2016 general elections due to a decision taken at a Regional Council Meeting held on August 18.

The Herald newspaper published in its August 26, 2015 edition that the regional executives of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) have set the party’s ‘World Bank’ on self-destruction mode, by slapping a whopping GH¢10,000 on aspirants seeking to challenge all incumbent Members of Parliament [MPs] in Volta Region.

While, the new entrants are being charged by the regional executives to cough up GH¢10,000, in addition to their filing fees of GH¢10,000 set up the National Executive Council of the party in Accra, the sitting MPs have been asked to only pay GH¢5,000, in addition to their filing fees.

The additional fee has been nicknamed “Project Levy” and it is claimed it would be used to run the party in the Volta Region; but the new entrants argue that the “Project Levy” is a clever tactics being employed by the regional executives to favor the incumbents who have the financial muscles.

According to the Herald newspaper “if care is not taken, lots of 'skirt and blouse' voting could emerge in the region in December 2016, as most of the new entrants are likely to contest the various seats as independent candidates.

But reacting to the issue raised in the Herald newspaper, Egypt Kobla Kudoto clarified on Okay Fm’s "Ade Akye Abia" Morning Show that the decision by the regional executives of the party in the Volta region does not flout the decision taken at the National Executive Council level.

He maintained the decision at the Regional Council Meeting is in fulfillment of the convention which has been part of the party for the regional executives to generate funds internally to support the development of the NDC at the regional levels.

He emphasized that President Mahama is not needed to fund the NDC at the regional levels as he [the President] has always encouraged the party to find means to support itself; stressing that there is understanding in the NDC in the Volta Region which will not end up in 'skirt and blouse' voting in the 2016 elections.

“Let me say here and now that, there is no way this decision by the Regional Executives of NDC in the Volta region will cause 'skirt and blouse' vote; I cannot sleep and dream of NPP having a single seat in Volta region in the coming 2016 elections,” he assured.

“They should not sit in Accra and dream because it would not happen; no matter what happen in the region, there is no way a single seat will go to the NPP in the Volta region- not this time, it can never happen," he insisted.