At a press conference addressed by Constituency Secretary,Fiifi Sangmoah, the party described the EC’s action as “undemocratic, unconstitutional, provocative, and barefacedly instigated.”

The controversy surrounds the May 13, 2023, parliamentary primaries, where Madam Gyan Cudjoe won overwhelmingly.

However, dissatisfied individuals filed a lawsuit, securing an interlocutory injunction that temporarily restrained her from holding herself out as the duly elected candidate.

The NDC’s Functional Executive Committee annulled the May 13, 2023, elections and conducted fresh primaries on September 8, 2024.

Madam Gyan Cudjoe emerged victorious once again, with the EC supervising the process.

The party argues that the September election superseded the May election, rendering the earlier contest irrelevant and reinforcing Madam Gyan Cudjoe’s legitimacy.

Despite the NDC’s arguments, the EC disqualified Madam Gyan Cudjoe, citing the interlocutory injunction tied to the annulled May 2023 election.

The party sees this decision as a gross display of incompetence and vows to fight back.

The NDC demands that the EC restore Madam Gyan Cudjoe’s name on the notice of poll and ballot papers for Amenfi Central.

”We will only accept the outcome of the December 7, 2024, elections if Madam Gyan Cudjoe remains a contender. As Fiifi Sangmoah emphasized, We will not stop until justice is done and the people’s will is restored.”

ALSO READ:

• Joana Cudjoe poised to win Amenfi Central seat – Edudzi Tamakloe
• I will fight with my last breath for the people of Amenfi Central –…

READ BELOW THE FULL PRESS STATEMENT:

PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY THE CONSTITUENCY SECRETARY

HON. FIIFI SANGMOAH ON THE DISQUALIFICATION BY THE ELECTORAL

COMMISSION OF THE NDC’S AMENFI CENTRAL PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen. Respectful Comrades and Party faithfuls, the press and the good people of Ghana, we are indeed grateful for your time and appreciate your quick response to this urgent call. This call is of importance to us and we are grateful that you have gathered here on this short notice. We bring you warm greetings from Amenfi Central Constituency Executive Members.

Today, we would like to take a moment to express our dissatisfaction on the recent pronouncement by the Electoral Commission on the disqualification of our Parliamentary Candidate of the Amenfi Central Constituency Madam Joana Gyan Cudjoe. We want to unequivocally state here and now that we will not and shall not accept this decision made by the electoral commission.

We see the EC’S action as undemocratic, unconstitutional but provocative and barefacedly instigated and executed by leadership of the Commission.

The EC has shown gross incompetence by unlawfully disqualifying our duly elected parliamentary candidate for the Amenfi Central Constituency, Madam Joana Gyan Cudjoe for which they the Electoral Commission supervised all the process leading to her candidature.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me set the records straight:

1. On May 13, 2023, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) conducted its parliamentary primaries in the Amenfi Central Constituency, where Madam Joana Gyan Cudjoe won overwhelmingly as the chosen candidate.

2. However, following that victory, certain individuals who were dissatisfied with the outcome filed a lawsuit at the Sekondi High Court, questioning the legitimacy of the election.  In response, an interlocutory injunction was secured, which temporarily restrained Madam Joana Gyan Cudjoe from holding herself out as the duly elected parliamentary candidate until the final determination of the substantive matter.

3. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, and mindful of the electoral timelines, the NDC’s Functional Executive Committee made the prudent decision to annul the May 13, 2023, elections and proceed with fresh primaries.

4. Thus, on September 8, 2024, fresh elections were held. While five candidates initially contested the May election, for the September 2024 rerun, only Joana Gyan Cudjoe and the incumbent Peter Kwakye-Ackah filed and went through the vetting process.

5. The September election was conducted in accordance with all party rules and electoral guidelines, and was supervised by the Electoral Commission itself, which was duly informed of every step we took.

6. The process was transparent, and Madam Joana Gyan Cudjoe was once again declared the clear and decisive winner, without any protests or objections from the other candidates there were no controversies surrounding the process.

7. The September 8 election superseded the May election, making the earlier contest irrelevant and reinforcing Madam Joana Gyan Cudjoe’s legitimacy as the NDC’s parliamentary candidate for Amenfi Central.

8. The September 2024 election rendered the May 2023 election null and void. It effectively reset the clock. Despite these undeniable facts, the Electoral Commission, sought to disqualify Madam Joana Gyan Cudjoe.

9. The May 2023 election, which was the subject of that injunction, no longer exists. It was annulled and replaced by the fresh September 2024 election.

10. The EC supervised the acclamation of Joana Gyan Cudjoe, allowed her to go through the filling of nominations for the December 2024 polls process.

The EC made no objections during these critical moments. And now, suddenly, they claim she is disqualified based on an injunction tied to an annulled election.

Ladies and gentlemen, the NDC will fight back with everything we’ve got, and we will not stop until justice is done and the people’s will is restored.

We need only one thing to be done by the EC and that is to restore the name of Madam Joana Gyan Cudjoe’s credentials on the notice of poll and by extension ballot papers assigned for Amenfi Central.

The NDC, Amenfi Central will welcome the outcome of the results on December 7, 2024 if and only if Madam Joana Gyan Cudjoe remains as part of the contenders.

Last but not least, we want to express our deepest gratitude to all of you gathered here for your unwavering support throughout this journey.

Your dedication, encouragement and trust in our Parliamentary Candidate is something we do not take for granted and we, the Constituency Executive Committee commend your good work and look forward for us to work together for HE John Dramani Mahama and we also have the conviction that our able Parliamentary Candidate’s name will be reinstated for all of us to vote massively for Madam Joana Gyan Cudjoe.

We want to assure you that, the CEC will continue to work together with our Regional Executives and National Executives to get this disquiet resolved once and for all.

This follows the Electoral Commission’s disqualification of the current NDC parliamentary candidate, Joana Cudjoe due to a pending interlocutory injunction against her.

According to the now-independent candidate, Mr Kwakye-Ackah insists he is willing to collaborate with the party to forge an alliance to win power in the 2024 election despite the development.

“I believe that we can collaborate. There is no need to stretch this matter at all. Sometimes certain things happen for good,” he said on Joy FM‘s Newsnight after the announcement on Wednesday.

“Now I have filed as an independent, but I can stand in as a candidate for the NDC,” he added.

He was responding to accusations by the NDC Deputy General Secretary that Peter Kwakye-Ackah is holding the party ransom for his parochial interest leading to the EC’s decision.

“When you fictitiously go behind accusing party leadership of masterminding your removal, I think it is sickening and it shouldn’t be entertained by anybody. Kwakye cannot hold the party to ransom, because the party made him,” he said.

Background

Mrs Cudjoe’s disqualification follows a petition to the EC claiming that there is a pending order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Commission from recognising her as the Parliamentary Candidate of the party.

The EC ordered that “until the final determination of the matter the affected parties are restrained as follows: a) The 1. Defendant/Respondent for holding herself out as the duly elected NDC Parliamentary candidate for the Amenfi Central Constituency.”

This was contained in a letter from the EC’s Deputy Chairman of Operations, Samuel Tettey.

The petitioners were doubting the authenticity of the candidate’s voter identification.

After a successful filing of nomination forms by the candidate, Joana Gyan Cudjoe who was re-elected by delegates following an annulment of primaries conducted earlier this year.

The Parliamentary Candidate had to run in the party’s parliamentary primaries for the second time after the party at the national level nullified her nomination.

A statement signed by General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey noted that the election had been the subject of litigation at the High Court in Sekondi, hence the annulment.

But the candidate in a fresh primary was re-elected by popular acclamation.

In the October 16 letter, the EC explained that the said court order “has neither been stayed nor vacated hence the Commission is bound by same.”

ALSO READ:

• EC disqualifies Joana Cudjoe as Amenfi Central NDC parliamentary candidate
• Amenfi Central NDC entreats EC to disregard petition to disqualify Joana Cudjoe 

The petition comes after successful filing of nomination forms by the candidate, Joana Gyan Cudjoe who was re-elected by delegates following an annulment of primaries conducted earlier this year.

Parliamentary candidate for the NDC in Amenfi Central constituency, Joana Gyan Cudjoe had to run in the party’s parliamentary primaries for the second time after the party at the national level nullified her nomination.

A statement signed by General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey noted that the election has been the subject of litigation at the High Court in Sekondi, hence the annulment.

But the candidate in a fresh primary was re-elected by popular acclamation.

Communication Officer for the constituency, Obed Amissah explained that the re-election followed due process.

“It is instructive to note that contestants for the first primaries all participated in the second primaries that eventually re-elected Madam Joana. Interestingly, Mr. Adonis, the District Electoral Officer of EC, was the one who supervised the process of electing our candidate”, he said.

Days after the filing of nominations, the candidate continued to fight petitions calling for nullification of her candidature by the electoral commission.

The petition served the EC claims that there is a purported pending order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Electoral Commission from recognizing Mrs. Cudjoe as Parliamentary Candidate of the party.

The petitioners are doubting the authenticity of the candidate’s voter identification.

Mr. Amissah wants the commission to dismiss the petition before them.

“We want peace in the constituency but not on the altar of people’s parochial interest. If our candidate is disqualified then there will be no election in the constituency”, he added.

Meanwhile, incumbent Member of Parliament for Amenfi Central, Peter Yaw Kwakye-Ackah, has declared his intention to contest again as an independent candidate after losing the NDC’s primary to Joana Gyan Cudjoe.

ALSO READ:

• Amenfi Central constituent petitions EC to reject Keche’s wife’s parliamentary nomination

• Joana Gyan Cudjoe files nomination form for Amenfi central parliamentary seat 

The decision according to the EC is in line with an interlocutory injunction at the Sekondi High Court, challenging her candidacy.

Madam Cudjoe had earlier filed an appeal at the EC, seeking to contest the petition blocking her from running in the election.

In a letter dated October 15, Madam Cudjoe’s legal representatives, Ayine and Associates, emphasized that she remains the duly elected NDC candidate.

But a statement signed by Deputy EC boss in charge of Operations, Samuel Tettey has noted the Order has neither been stayed nor vacated, hence the Commission is bound by same.

The statement explained the court has ordered that pending the final determination of the matter, Madam Cudjoe must not hold herself as the NDC parliamentary candidate.

“The 2nd. and 3rd Defendants/Respondents, their agents and officers for holding out, allowing the Defendant/Respondent to be held out, dealt with in any way, recognized or afforded any rights or privileges as the duly elected NDC Parliamentary Candidate for the Amenfi Central Constituency,” the statement read in parts.

Read the full statement below:

ALSO READ:

• Amenfi Central MP unfazed by petition to vacate seat
• 2024 polls: Joana Cudjoe contests petition seeking to block her candidacy in Amenfi Central

The NDC on Thursday announced the annulment of the election held on May 13, during which Madam Cudjoe was elected but injuncted from holding herself as such for allegedly forging her voter ID and party card.

The decision according to the party follows a Functional Executive Committee(FEC) meeting on Tuesday, 3rd September 2024, as the election has been a subject of litigation at the Sekondi High Court.

But according to her, the rerun presents her with a renewed opportunity to work together with constituents to build a stronger Amenfi Central.

In a statement, Madam Cudjoe, who is the wife of musician, Keche Andrew said she remains deeply committed to the NDC’s shared vision of progress, development, and empowerment for all.

“With your trust and support, I will continue to advocate for better education, infrastructure, healthcare, and economic opportunities that will uplift every corner of our constituency.

“However, this cannot be done alone. We need the support of everyone—our youth, women, men, elders, and all stakeholders—to make this vision a reality. Together, we can overcome the challenges before us and create lasting change that benefits the entire community,” she said.

The aspirant has therefore appealed for the vote, prayers and support of constituents on the important journey.

“Let us unite, reset the course of Amenfi Central, and work towards the future we all deserve,” she urged.

Source: Adomonline.com

ALSO READ:

• Don’t hold yourself out as NDC Amenfi Central PC – Keche’s wife told

• NDC to conduct fresh election in Amenfi Central

Read the statement below:

The decision according to the party follows a Functional Executive Committee(FEC) meeting on Tuesday, 3rd September, 2024.

The Committee has decided to annul the election held on May 13, 2023, since it has been the subject of litigation at the Sekondi High Court.

A statement signed by the General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey has therefore announced timelines for the election which will be held on Sunday, September 8, 2024.

The NDC will open nominations on Friday, September 6 with vetting to take place on Saturday, September 7 from 10: am to 1:pm.

All aspirants with issues are expected to file an appeal for redress between 3pm and 5pm on the vetting day.

Businesswoman, Joana Cudjoe was elected as the parliamentary candidate but injuncted from holding herself as such.

This was on the back of allegations that she forged her voter ID and party card.

The order of the Court presided over by Justice G. K Gyan-Kontoh also restrained the NDC (who is the second defendant) from allowing Madam Gyan to be held out, dealt with in any way, recognized as the duly elected Parliamentary Candidate.

To ensure the continuity of the campaign efforts, the NDC set up an interim presidential campaign task force chaired by Madam Cudjoe.

Source: Adomonline.com

ALSO READ:

NDC leaders given ultimatum to reinstate suspended executives in Amenfi Central

• Amenfi Central: NDC appoints Joana Gyan to lead interim campaign task force

Read the full statement below: