Akwapim South MP files suit against NPP

Aburi, Oct. 25, GNA - The Member of Parliament (MP) for Akwapim South, Mr Seth Wiafe Dankwah has filed a writ at a Koforidua High Court seeking an order to restrain the New Patriotic Party (NPP) from disqualifying him as the Parliamentary Candidate for the Akwapim South Constituency in the forthcoming elections.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Aburi on Friday, he claimed that a constituency delegates' conference was held on October 3, this year at Obotweri, near Nsawam, attended by Polling Station Executive and he was "popularly acclaimed by all the 104 delegates present, as the Parliamentary Candidate for the 2004 elections."

He said later in his absence, on October 16, another primary to elect a candidate, not withstanding his acclamation, was organized by the Eastern Regional Executive at which one Mr Opare Asamoah was elected as the Parliamentary Candidate.

Mr Dankwah said, he therefore, filed the writ seeking an injunction to be placed on the Party Executives to nullify the nomination of Mr Opare Asamoah to stand on the ticket of the NPP for the constituency. He stated that on Thursday, the Party issued all the necessary documents to Mr Opare Asamoah to file his nomination for the parliamentary elections with the Electoral Commission (EC) at Nsawam, while he was turned away from doing so.

Mr Dankwah said the EC was compelled by a "prerogative writ of mandamus" from the Koforidua High Court to allow him file his nomination.

He cited Article 7 of the NPP constitution to back his claim that the primary to elect Mr Opare Asamoah was "illegal because with regards to that article, it was the Constituency Executive, who had the power to either select or elect a candidate or to hold any election whatsoever. "The NPP believes in the rule of law and due process of the law, therefore, I will pursue this matter to the letter, because no one is above the law", he emphasized.

Mr Dankwa said the Party had invoked Article 6 clauses 19 and 20 of its Constitution by issuing Mr Opare Asamoah with a letter to file his nomination as the candidate, "contrary to his nomination by the constituency executives.

"For that matter, all who are Party to giving Mr Opare Asamoah the go ahead to file his nomination, are going to be cited for contempt of court," he stated.

He said the court had set November 3, for hearing of the suit to decide which of the two nominations was conducted in consonance with the Constitution of the Party.