The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed strong disapproval of the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to disqualify its parliamentary candidate for Amenfi Central, Joana Gyan Cudjoe.
According to the NDC’s Head of Legal Affairs, Edudzie Tamekloe, the move by the EC is both “mischievous and disingenuous.”
Tamekloe argued that the disqualification lacks proper justification, as the EC was a party to an interlocutory injunction against Joana Gyan Cudjoe, following her victory in the party’s May 12 primary.
He contended that the EC’s reasoning for upholding the injunction is “mind-boggling,” given that the injunction has not been lifted but should not automatically lead to disqualification.
In a letter dated October 10, signed by EC Deputy Chairman Samuel Tettey, Joana Gyan Cudjoe was informed that her disqualification was based on the court order, which has neither been stayed nor vacated.
The Commission stated that it is bound by the legal directive and could not clear her to run in the December parliamentary elections.
Tamekloe, however, believes the EC overstepped its mandate and unfairly targeted Joana Gyan Cudjoe.
He accused the Commission of taking sides in the matter, suggesting that the EC acted unilaterally in disqualifying the candidate, even though the legal process has yet to be fully concluded.
Speaking in an interview with Citi FM on Thursday, October 17, Tamekloe reiterated that the NDC will challenge the decision, as it violates the rights of their candidate and undermines the democratic process.
“The basis of the disqualification is the purported interlocutory injunction from the High Court in Sekondi which is extremely mischievous because clearly, the EC at all material times, was a party to the suit in the Sekondi Court.”
“Each time we appeared before the judge in Sekondi, there was a representative for the EC and so the proceedings were known to the EC. When we annulled that election and decided to rerun it, they came to supervise the election and so for Samuel Tettey to refer to the injunction [in the disqualification] is completely disingenuous,” he stated.
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