GJA President-Elect offers to step down

Accra, Aug. 22, GNA - Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafo, President-Elect of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has offered to step down in the interest of the unity and progress of the Association, a press release signed by Mrs Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie, President of GJA, on Friday said. The release said following a complaint filed by Mr Yaw Owusu-Addo, who contested the position of President against Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo but lost, the National Executive of GJA held a meeting with the two contestants.

It said Mr Owusu-Addo in his submission rejected the outcome of the election and sought that it should be declared null and void because Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo was not eligible to contest as at the close of nominations on 31st July 2003.

The statement said, "Mr Owusu-Addo contends that Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo was not a paid-up member of the Association at the time" and he was, therefore, seeking to be declared winner by prescription of law. "Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo, however, denied the claim that he was not a member in good standing as at the close of nominations and rejected Mr Owusu-Addo's position of being declared a winner.

The statement said GJA Executives were making further consultations.

It said the GJA Election Officer, Mr Mawusi Afele and the campaign teams of both contestants were at the meeting.

Mr Owusu-Addo, who is the current Vice President of GJA, on Friday, challenged the eligibility of Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh to have contested the elections.

"Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh was palpably ineligible to stand for the post for lack of capacity at the time he filed to contest for the post," Mr Owusu-Addo stated in a petition to the GJA Elections Officer, Mr Afele. The GJA Vice President, who contested for the post but lost to Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh, had gracefully conceded defeat on Thursday night and congratulated him.

In the petition Mr Owusu-Addo said he had stumbled upon information, which goes to prove that at the material time that Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafo, Editor of the Daily Graphic filed his nomination to contest the GJA presidential election, he Boadu-Ayeboafoh was palpably ineligible to stand for the post for lack of capacity.

He, therefore, called for the declaration of the Presidential elections held on August 21st, 2003, null and void.

Mr Owusu-Addo said at the close of nominations on July 31 2003, the President-Elect was not a paid-up member of the Association and, therefore, could not have been qualified to file his nomination.

"That on the 31st day of July 2003, Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo had not paid his dues as a member for three years running," saying, that he paid his dues on Monday August 19 2003, three weeks after filing his nominations. Mr Owusu-Addo supported his claim with a photocopy of the receipt issued to Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo, when he paid his outstanding dues on 19th August 2003.

Quoting Article 21(2)(a) of the GJA Constitution, Mr Owusu-Addo, who is a Lawyer, said candidates for the elections should have been members of the Association for the last five years to qualify to contest for national offices and three years for regional offices and have paid their dues up to date.

Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo told the GNA that he was a paid up member and that the GJA itself extended the date for members to pay. He said Mr Owusu-Addo's name was not on the list of members in good standing, while his name was on the list that was pasted in media houses and published in the Daily Graphic of August 21, 2003.

The GJA Electoral Officer supported by Officials from the Electoral Commission declared Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh winner when he polled 290 votes as against 256 by Mr Owusu-Addo. 22 Aug. 2003