Brogya Genfi drops lawsuit challenging outcome of NDC youth organiser polls

Yaw Brogya Genfi, a candidate for the national youth organiser position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has withdrawn his lawsuit challenging the results of the election for the position.

In a statement sighted by GhanaWeb, Brogya Genfi said that he decided to withdraw the suit following the advice of former President John Dramani Mahama.

He added that his decision to withdraw the case from the court is also for the good of his party, the NDC.

“I was determined to pursue this matter to its logical conclusion mainly on grounds of principle and to forestall a similar occurrence in the future. But, upon the intervention of the former president and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, H.E John Dramani Mahama, who I consider a father, I have decided to withdraw the matter from court and to abide by the outcome of the election as declared by the party.

“I have arrived at this decision based on my respect and reverence for H.E John Dramani Mahama and in the supreme interest of the great NDC,” parts of the statement read.

Brogya Genfi wished the new leadership of the NDC youth wing well and pledged to support them to help the NDC win the 2024 elections.

The High Court in Amasaman ordered the NDC not to swear in George Opare Addo, who was re-elected as the party’s national youth organiser at the party’s women and youth election on Saturday, December 16, 2022.

This is after the court granted an application for an interim injunction against the NDC Congress Planning Committee Chairman, Alex Segbefia; the NDC Acting Director of Elections, Daniel Amartey; the Electoral Commission and George Opare Addo, restraining them and their agents from swearing in George Opare Addo as the National Youth Organizer of the NDC.

Brogya Genfi and the other Plaintiffs filed a Writ of Summons, seeking the annulment of the just-ended National Youth Organizer election on the basis that 22 TEIN delegates who by the expressed orders of the High Court were supposed to vote in the elections, were excluded and/or prevented from participating in the elections.

They added that 17 persons who were not supposed to participate in the elections were rather allowed to vote.

The plaintiffs argue that given the difference in votes between the two candidates (25 votes), the illegalities and infractions are significant enough to affect the outcome of the elections.

The NDC, however, in spite of the court order went ahead to swear in Opare Addo as the party's national youth organiser.

Read the full statement by Brogya Genfi below:

For Immediate Release

December 22, 2022

PRESS STATEMENT

On 13th December, 2022, I together with the TEIN President of University of Ghana, Legon and University of Professional Studies, Accra, filed a Writ of Summons challenging the validity of the 2022 National Youth Election of the NDC which I had the privilege of participating in for the position of National Youth Organizer.

Pursuant to this action, the High Court Amasaman granted an Order of Interim Injunction in my favour restraining the defendants from acknowledging and/or holding the declared winner out as the National Youth Organizer of the National Democratic Congress.

The case was premised on the fact that twenty-two (22) delegates to the National Youth Conference whose names were on the official delegates register of the party were prevented from voting in the elections, while 17 persons who were not qualified to vote in the elections were rather allowed to vote, thereby impacting the eventual outcome of the election.

I was determined to pursue this matter to its logical conclusion mainly on grounds of principle and to forestall a similar occurrence in the future. But, upon the intervention of the Former President and Flag-bearer of the National Democratic Congress, H.E John Dramani Mahama, who I consider a father, I have decided to withdraw the matter from court and to abide by the outcome of the election as declared by the party.

I have arrived at this decision based on my respect and reverence for H.E John Dramani Mahama and in the supreme interest of the great NDC.

I sincerely wish the newly-elected leadership of the Youth Wing well and hope that they bring on board everybody irrespective of the candidate they supported in the elections for the realization of our common objective of recapturing power in 2024.

To all the delegates who campaigned and/or voted for me, to all my teeming supporters and the entire rank and file of the NDC who supported me in diverse ways in this journey, I say a very big thank you. I do not take your support for granted and will never forget what you have done for me.

Let’s put aside our differences, rededicate ourselves and rally together for the victory of the NDC and President John Dramani Mahama in 2024.

Long live the NDC!

Signed.

BROGYA GENFI

Watch the second part of Elvis Afriyie Ankrah's interview on GhanaWeb TV below:

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