General News of Tuesday, 10 November 2009

Source: GNA

NPP constituency elections goes to court

Sefwi-Anhwiaso (W/R), Nov. 10, GNA - The Sefwi Wiawso High court in the Western Region has placed an interim injunction on the election of New Patriotic Party (NPP) coordinators and executives in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai constituency.

Messrs Prince Cobbina, Frank Baidoo and Alex Kusi Manu, who are party members in the constituency, filed the motion against the acting Constituency Chairman, Mr Fredrick Badu Ebo and the electoral committee of the constituency.

In their statement of claim, the plaintiffs stated that the Electoral Committee failed to elect 30 coordinators before the constituency executive elections and that was contrary to NPP constitution. They said if the elections were allowed, the results could be nullified by any aggrieved member and that would have far reaching consequences on the contestants and the party as a whole. The plaintiffs further stated that they have exhausted all domestic avenues for the resolution of the procedural anomaly. They claimed that the Western Regional Chairman of the party, Nana Owusu Ankoma had earlier written to the Electoral Committee to suspend the elections for the anomaly to be corrected.

The plaintiffs further claimed that the vetting of prospective constituency officers went on with people, who were not supposed to be part of the vetting panel and therefore was unconstitutional and unfair. They, therefore, prayed the court for an order restraining the defendants and all other people engaged in the conduct of the elections pending the final determination of the suit.

Meanwhile, Mr Christopher Addai, NPP Member of Parliament for the constituency and Mr Kingsley Adjei Manu former District Chief Executive for the area, have condemned the behaviour of the three NPP activists in the constituency. 10 Nov. 09