Joana Gyan will be on the ballot for parliamentary elections - EC confirms

Dr. Bossman Asare, the Deputy Chairperson of the EC in charge of Corporate Services, has affirmed that Joana Gyan Cudjoe will appear on the ballot paper for the parliamentary elections in December 2024.

This follows the Sekondi High Court’s decision on November 11, 2024, to lift an earlier injunction that had prevented her from standing as a candidate in the elections.

Speaking during an interview on GHOne TV on Monday, November 18, 2024, Dr. Asare explained that the EC disqualified Joana Gyan from contesting the parliamentary elections at Amenfi Central due to the injunction placed on her candidacy by the High Court.

He stated that the latest court ruling paves the way for Gyan to contest freely, and as a result, the commission will take the appropriate steps.

“The EC’s position has always been that she was disqualified because of the injunction so once the injunction has been removed, the commission will take the necessary action. The road has been paved for her to be on the ballot,” he said.

Dr. Bossman Asare reiterated the EC's position on Joana Gyan’s disqualification, stating that the commission acted correctly in disqualifying her from contesting the Amenfi Central parliamentary elections.

He explained that the EC was involved in the injunction process filed at the High Court and that they would have been in contempt of court had they ignored the court order.

“There was an injunction and it was the duty of the political party and the candidate to ensure the injunction was removed. Our position at the EC was that we cannot recognise a candidate who has been injuncted. Those who filed the injunction added the EC were part of the process and so if we had accepted the candidate for the parliamentary election at that particular time, it would mean the EC would be going against the laws of the country.

“We would have been in contempt of court if we had gone against the ruling of the High Court barring Gyan from presenting herself as the parliamentary candidate. I believe we did the right thing,” he said.

Background

The Sekondi High Court on November 11, 2024, lifted an earlier injunction placed on Joana Gyan Cudjoe preventing her from standing as the elected candidate.

The legal dispute began when some dissatisfied individuals filed a lawsuit, securing an interlocutory injunction that temporarily restrained Joana Gyan from presenting herself as the candidate, despite her convincing victory in the May 13, 2023, parliamentary primaries.

The NDC's Functional Executive Committee later annulled the May election and conducted fresh primaries on September 8, 2024, where Joana Gyan Cudjoe emerged victorious once again, with the EC supervising the process.

The party contended that the September election superseded the previous contest, thereby affirming Joana Gyan Cudjoe's legitimacy as the candidate.

Despite this, the EC disqualified her based on the interlocutory injunction tied to the annulled May 2023 election.

MAG/AE