The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has responded to the Electoral Commission’s (EC) explanation on the eligibility of a candidate to contest elections in a particular constituency without having to be a registered voter there.
The EC had told the NDC’s Communication Officer as codified in the 1992 Constitution and the import of the Nomination Form, that one doesn’t need to be a registered voter in a constituency before he can contest in an election there, citing how the NDC fielded a candidate in the Kumawu by-election though he was a registered voter in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency.
“Was Sammy Gyamfi not aware of this phrase, ‘of the same Constituency’ on the Nomination Form before allowing their candidate for the Kumawu By-Election who is NOT a registered voter in Kumawu to contest for the recent By-Election?”
It asked the NDC national officer to “exercise maturity, decorum and truth in his discussions on the EC”.
“We urge him to go out and campaign and leave the EC alone.”
But in a sharp response, Mr Gyamfi said the EC’s claims in the statement on Tuesday, June 6 are “defective in logic and betray the Commission’s appreciation of their own criteria and elementary English language”.
“It should be obvious to any educated mind, that the phrase ‘of the same Constituency’ contained at Part 1 of the EC’s own nomination form for the Assin North by-election, refers to the Candidate who is being nominated (proposed, seconded and endorsed) and not the nominees.”
He said the Jean Mensa-led administration has allowed “palpable” bias to shroud its sense of judgement and interpretation of the basic regulations.
“Anyone who has a basic understanding of English language must appreciate the fact that, the phrase: ‘of the same constituency’, refers to the Candidate being nominated. Simply put, the provision requires persons nominating a Parliamentary Candidate to be ‘of the same constituency’ as the Candidate,” the response issued by Sammy Gyamfi deep into Tuesday said.
“The inability and/or refusal of the Jean Mensah-led EC to correctly interpret this simple criteria set by themselves, shows how depraved our once-revered Electoral Commission has become, and the extreme lengths they are prepared to go, to manipulate the electoral process for the ruling NPP.”
On the Kumawu citation, the NDC officer was not forthcoming, furtively admitting the wrong with regard to the losing Kwasi Amankwaah.
“The attempt by the Electoral Commission to equalize and rationalize their illegal conduct by citing similar instances in previous elections is hogwash to say the least. It is trite that estoppel cannot negate illegality. A multitude of illegalities cannot constitute legality. The fact that the EC failed and/or neglected to do the right thing in times past does not mean they should be allowed to perpetuate such wrongs.”
Sammy Gyamfi warned that the NDC will resist any attempt by the EC, acting in cahoots with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to smuggle the name of Parliamentary Candidate aspirant Charles Opoku into the Assin North by-elections, scheduled for Tuesday, June 27.
“The good people of Assin North deserve to know that the said aspirant is not a voter in the Assin North Constituency,” his response concluded.
