The Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to dismiss Joana Gyan Cudjoe, the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Amenfi Central, has been sharply criticised.
On October 16, the EC declared Joana Cudjoe unable to run in the general elections of 2024 on the NDC ticket due to an ongoing legal dispute.
In order to prevent the Electoral Commission (EC) from printing the parliamentary ballot papers and notice of poll for the Amenfi Central seat, the NDC has filed a plea for an injunction.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the general secretary of the NDC, denounced the EC’s action during a press conference in Accra on October 17, calling it “legally baseless” and a “travesty of justice.”
He maintained that the EC had violated the party’s rights by disqualifying Joana Cudjoe even after the injunction had expired.
“The EC in an astonishing display of incompetence, recklessness and bad faith had gone ahead to disqualify Joana Gyan Cudjoe. Their actions are based on the premise of an expired injunction, that is no longer application.
“On what basis did you disqualify Joana Gyan, and on what legal grounds did you justify this disqualification? Are you so blinded by partisanship?
“This is not legally unsound, but deeply dangerous for the future of our democracy. We annulled the earlier injunction… This is nothing short of a travesty of justice, a violation of the rights of our candidate, and the rights of the violation of the people of Amenfi Central.
“The decision to disqualify Joan Cudjoe is legally baseless, morally indefensible and a slap in the face of our democratic principle. They [EC] must explain to Ghanaians this blatant miscarriage of justice.”
source:Citinewsroom