Call traditional rulers flouting electoral laws to order - PIRAN-GH tells EC

The Public Interest Research and Advocacy Network Ghana (PIRAN-GH) has called on the Electoral Commission to condemn the recent actions by some traditional rulers who are interfering with electoral laws.

Commenting on the recent happenings involving the Agona Duakwa chief, Nana Kojo Amuakwa V, who has banned the NDC candidate, Queenstar Maame Pokuah Sawyerr from campaigning in the traditional area on the grounds of "disrespect", PIRAN-GH termed the move as "unconstitutional" adding that the EC must intervene.

In a statement copied to GhanaWeb, the research and advocacy NGO also berated the move by some traditional rulers who have openly declared their support for political candidates and parties ahead of the December 7 general elections.

“The turn of event these days is becoming unbecoming as Traditional chiefs are seen mounting political platform to campaign and urge their subjects to vote their preferred candidate with some using their traditional authority to banned candidate they have issues with to campaign in their traditional area,” the statement read.

Read full Statement below:

The chieftaincy institution by our tradition and national laws are supposed to be screed institutions and hence not allow partaking in outdoor games and activities such draught, playing cards, walking bear footed, fighting and campaigning for or against a political party.

The turn of event these days is becoming unbecoming as Traditional chiefs are seen mounting political platform to campaign and urge their subjects to vote their preferred candidate with some using their traditional authority to banned candidate they have issues with to campaign in their traditional area.

We strongly believe chieftaincy as an institution can sue and be sued and traditional chiefs can sue individuals and politicians they have issues with in court,

Elections are national events, under the supervision and powers of the Clectoral commission and preventing a person or group to engage in their political activities in a traditional area can disturb the work of the Electoral Commission and chiefs taking advantage of the season to punish offending politicians is unlawful.

Some chiefs are taking advantage to campaign and others banning candidates from their traditional areas on issues that can be settled in court.

Because the action of Agona Duakwa chief banning the NDC and its candidate from the traditional area is unconstitutional and amount to restriction of some one’s freedom of speech and movement.

The issues of Duakwa Omanhene can be settled in court after suing the NDC candidate for character assassination, as we believe the charge against her do not flout Duakwa customs and tradition.

We therefore call of the Electoral Commission to come out on the rule of traditional rulers as some are flouting the electoral laws; we see trouble if some of these is not checked.