Joana Gyan's disqualification is an attempt by the EC to gift the seat to NPP - NDC

The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fiifi Kwetey, has questioned the Electoral Commission's decision to disqualify its parliamentary candidate for Amenfi Central, Joana Gyan Cudjoe.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, October 17, 2024, he described the decision as deliberate attempt to undermine the party in the pending elections.

Fifi Kwetey further accused the Commission of working to secure a parliamentary majority for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

"The EC's actions in Amenfi Central are a series of calculated moves designed to deliver the parliamentary majority to the NPP by any means.

The disqualification of Joana Gyan is an attempt by the EC to gift the Amenfi Central seat to the NPP on a silver platter just as it did in Hohoe with Peter Amewu. This is not mere incompetence; it is deliberate, unlawful conduct that is premeditated", he stated.

Fiifi Kwewtey made it clear that the NDC will not back down in it's fight.

"The EC is at war with the NDC and will fight to a logical conclusion. They believe the NPP foothold in the constituency grants them the ability to abuse the power without consequence.

"We are here to tell them that they are wrong. The EC is at war with the NDC this is a war we did not choose but will fight till the bitter end. We are not fighting for just a parliamentary seat. We are fighting for the very soul of our democracy. The fundamental right of every Ghanaian. We will not allow this court document to stand," Fifi Kwetey stated.

He explained that the NDC had taken legal action to challenge the disqualification of Joana Gyan.

"The court documents have been filed, and we have declared an injunction to restrain the EC from issuing notices of poll and from taking any further action towards the election in Amenfi Central. Until the matter is fully resolved.

"The court battle is only one battle in this war. The NDC is mobilisng our supporters to rise up in defence against our democracy", he stated.

He also accused the Commission of attempting to deny the people the right to representation in parliament.

"This audacious attempt to deny the people of Amenfi Central the right to representation cannot and will not be tolerated. The NDC, as a political party founded on the core values of justice, equity, and democracy, will not sit idle while the EC, a state institution constitutionally mandated to safeguard our electoral process, turns itself into a political tool for the ruling NPP.

"What we are witnessing at the moment is nothing less than a direct attack on the fundamental pillars of our democracy. That erodes the right of voters to freely choose their representatives.

He continued, "We recognise it as what it is—an orchestrated plot to weaken the NDC in key constituencies and sabotage the will of the people.

"Joana Gyan's disqualification is an attempt by the EC to gift the Amenfi Central seat to the NPP. This injunction was not a final judgment", he explained.

He argued that despite the injunction’s expiration, the EC still disqualified Joana Cudjoe, violating the party’s rights.

“The EC, in an astonishing display of incompetence, recklessness and bad faith, had gone ahead to disqualify Joana Gyan Cudjoe. Their actions are based on the premise of an expired injunction that is no longer applicable.

“On what basis did you disqualify Joana Gyan, and on what legal grounds did you justify this disqualification? Are you so blinded by partisanship?

“This is not legally unsound but deeply dangerous for the future of our democracy. We annulled the earlier injunction. This is nothing short of a travesty of justice, a violation of the rights of our candidate and the rights of the violation of the people of Amenfi Central," he said.

On October 16,, 2024, the Commission announced this decision, citing a pending court case that questions Joana Gyan's eligibility to run on the NDC ticket in the 2024 general elections.

JKB/KA

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