Multiple court injunctions placed on NDC constituency elections in the Eastern Region

The constituency elections of the opposition National Democratic Congress, (NDC), in the Eastern Region have been hit with multiple court injunctions by some aggrieved aspirants. The affected constituencies include Atiwa West, Atiwa East, Afram Plains North, and Yilo Krobo. In the case of Atiwa West and East Constituencies, the plaintiffs Patrick Ayimadu, and Philip Bebile, both branch executives of the NDC secured perpetual injunction at the Koforidua High Court against the defendants- NDC, Electoral Commission, Ernest Owusu Ntim, Mr. Amoo Johnson (Incumbent constituency chairman) and John Owusu Amankrah (NDC Eastern Regional Chairman) restraining them and their agents from conducting and supervising the upcoming constituency elections in Atiwa West and Atiwa East constituencies. The applicants contend that “no elections have been held in any of the polling stations in those constituencies, and the copies of the register of the album are compromised. To this effect, the defendants are unable to display the album to the members of the party”. According to the plaintiffs, all efforts to bring this issue to the notice of the party’s executives’ for redress have proved futile but blatantly continue to conduct the elections in the constituency. Counsel for the plaintiffs, Dollah Damien Blackmore Djaba-Mensah told the court that, the applicant and the populace at large stand to lose out the most if the status quo is not maintained as the infraction being complained about bothers on constitutional and legal infringement of the applicant’s right. In Kwahu Afram Plains, three aggrieved branch executives -Amos Mornyui, Kudjo Gaikpa Ernest, Eric Aziaklo and Domevie Ebenezer through an ex parte motion secured an order of interim injunction from Nkawkaw High Court restraining the NDC party from conducting the Constituency election on October 22, 2022. Claims by the plaintiffs state that the entire procedure leading to the compilation of the list of branch executive members in the constituency be declared null and void. An order nullifying the entire current list of branch executive members of the various branches with the Afram Plains North constituency was used to compile the voters register for the planned constituency election. An order compelling the defendants to organize fresh branch executives election for all the branches within the constituency. Chairman of the Eastern region Election Committee of the NDC Alhaji Sumaila Mahama earlier told journalists that the constituency elections will be held on the 22nd and 23rd of October with exception of some constituencies that have been put on hold for final determination of some petitions. The party has meanwhile cleared 49 aspirants who filed nominations to contest the Regional Executive election slated to be held after the constituency election.

The constituency elections of the opposition National Democratic Congress, (NDC), in the Eastern Region have been hit with multiple court injunctions by some aggrieved aspirants. The affected constituencies include Atiwa West, Atiwa East, Afram Plains North, and Yilo Krobo. In the case of Atiwa West and East Constituencies, the plaintiffs Patrick Ayimadu, and Philip Bebile, both branch executives of the NDC secured perpetual injunction at the Koforidua High Court against the defendants- NDC, Electoral Commission, Ernest Owusu Ntim, Mr. Amoo Johnson (Incumbent constituency chairman) and John Owusu Amankrah (NDC Eastern Regional Chairman) restraining them and their agents from conducting and supervising the upcoming constituency elections in Atiwa West and Atiwa East constituencies. The applicants contend that “no elections have been held in any of the polling stations in those constituencies, and the copies of the register of the album are compromised. To this effect, the defendants are unable to display the album to the members of the party”. According to the plaintiffs, all efforts to bring this issue to the notice of the party’s executives’ for redress have proved futile but blatantly continue to conduct the elections in the constituency. Counsel for the plaintiffs, Dollah Damien Blackmore Djaba-Mensah told the court that, the applicant and the populace at large stand to lose out the most if the status quo is not maintained as the infraction being complained about bothers on constitutional and legal infringement of the applicant’s right. In Kwahu Afram Plains, three aggrieved branch executives -Amos Mornyui, Kudjo Gaikpa Ernest, Eric Aziaklo and Domevie Ebenezer through an ex parte motion secured an order of interim injunction from Nkawkaw High Court restraining the NDC party from conducting the Constituency election on October 22, 2022. Claims by the plaintiffs state that the entire procedure leading to the compilation of the list of branch executive members in the constituency be declared null and void. An order nullifying the entire current list of branch executive members of the various branches with the Afram Plains North constituency was used to compile the voters register for the planned constituency election. An order compelling the defendants to organize fresh branch executives election for all the branches within the constituency. Chairman of the Eastern region Election Committee of the NDC Alhaji Sumaila Mahama earlier told journalists that the constituency elections will be held on the 22nd and 23rd of October with exception of some constituencies that have been put on hold for final determination of some petitions. The party has meanwhile cleared 49 aspirants who filed nominations to contest the Regional Executive election slated to be held after the constituency election.