The Ashanti Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Adom Appiah, has indicated that, for not being convicted of corruption by any competent court of jurisdiction, Kwesi Nyantakyi, a former president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), is eligible to contest the party’s Ejisu parliamentary primary.
Kwesi Nyantakyi is among the many persons seeking to replace late Deputy Finance Minister, John Ampontuah Kumah, as Member of Parliament for the Ejisu constituency in the Ashanti region, in an upcoming by-election occasioned by the demise of the late MP.
The party opened nominations for parliamentary hopefuls on Tuesday, April, 02, 2024. About 10 individuals have picked nominations to contest the Ejisu seat, including Kwesi Nyantakyi.
His candidature has come under serious scrutiny following an undercover investigative piece produced by Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ TigerEye P.I. which indicted the former Vice President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), leading to his suspension from all football activities.
For instance, anti-corruption crusader, Vitus Adaboo Azeem, has advised that Mr. Nyantakyi reconsiders his decision since the corruption allegations would linger as far as politics is concerned.
“No matter, whether he has been prosecuted or not it is a dent on him and it cannot easily be wiped away. It may not be possible to legally bar him from contesting but as somebody interested in parliament, he should even consider contesting for an election,” Mr. Azeem said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Adom Appiah, the NPP Ashanti Regional Secretary has insisted that since no competent law of jurisdiction has convicted him of corruption, nor had he admitted guilt himself, he is qualified to contest for the seat.
He explained his ability to remain qualified or otherwise would be determined by the documentation he would submit to the vetting committee for review.
“It is up to the vetting committee to peruse his documents filed and then come out with their verdicts. But on the other leg the issue of embarrassment and the likes of those. I don’t think for now there is a case against Mr. Nyantakyi.
“A person is not guilty by the structure of our constitution on accusation or allegation of offences unless that person has subscribed to the guilt or proven guilty by the court. And the measure is beyond reasonable doubt. So, for now Mr Nyantakyi has not been proven guilty by any competent court of jurisdiction,” he stated.
“So, I am speaking on my part, as my personal view. I don’t think Mr Nyantakyi has been proven guilty by any court in Ghana. And until that is done or he himself admits his guilt before a court of competent jurisdiction, I will not say that Mr. Nyantakyi is guilty and for that matter, he doesn’t qualify to pick a form to contest for Ejisu constituency,” he said on Accra-based Citi FM Wednesday, April 03, 2024.
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