Assin North by-election: NDC exposes NPP, EC’s plot to insert an unqualified candidate into Voters’ Register

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Electoral Commission (EC) are plotting to insert the name of an unqualified NPP Parliamentary Candidate into the Assin North Voters’ Register. This is according to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

A press statement by the party’s National Communication Officer, Sammy Gyamfi says the NDC has become aware of a plot by the ruling NPP, acting in cahoots with their collaborators in the EC to transfer and insert the name of one Charles Opoku, into the Voters Register of the Assin North constituency.

Per the statement, “this illegal move is to aid the said Charles Opoku to contest in the NPP Parliamentary primaries to select a candidate for the upcoming Assin North by-election.”

“Our unimpeachable sources have revealed that contrary to the clear requirement on the nomination form for the Assin North by-election, which demands that a candidate in the election must be a registered voter in Assin North, the said Charles Opoku is not a registered voter in the Assin North Constituency”, the statement reads.

This action, according to the NDC is in contravention of Regulation 22 of the Public Elections Regulations 2020 (C.I 127), which states that “voter transfer can only be effected for an ordinary citizen not less than 42 days to a public election.”

“More importantly, transfer applications can only be made to the Returning Officer of a public election. Given the fact that, we have less than 42 days to the by-election in Assin North, and a Returning Officer is yet to be appointed for same, any transfer of voters to Assin North will be unlawful and same shall be fiercely rejected by the NDC.”

The NDC has therefore served notice that the situation is closely being monitored and “shall take every legitimate step to ensure that this illegal plot is not perpetrated by the Electoral Commission and their collaborators in the NPP.”

Read the full statement below:

 

PRESS STATEMENT

For Immediate Release

4th June, 2023.

NPP AND THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION IN A PLOT TO ILLEGALLY INSERT THE NAME OF AN UNQUALIFIED NPP PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE INTO THE ASSIN NORTH VOTERS’ REGISTER.

The National Democratic Congress has become aware of a plot by the ruling New Patriotic Party, acting in cahoots with their collaborators in the Electoral Commission to transfer and insert the name of one Charles Opoku, into the Voters Register of the Assin North constituency. This illegal move is to aid the said Charles Opoku to contest in the NPP Parliamentary primaries to select a candidate for the upcoming Assin North by-election.

Our unimpeachable sources have revealed that contrary to the clear requirement on the nomination form for the Assin North by-election, which demands that a candidate in the election must be a registered voter in Assin North, the said Charles Opoku is not a registered voter in the Assin North Constituency.

It is instructive to note that according to Regulation 22 of the Public Elections Regulations 2020 (C.I 127), voter transfer can only be effected for an ordinary citizen not less than 42 days to a public election. More importantly, transfer applications can only be made to the Returning Officer of a public election. Given the fact that, se have less than 42 days to the by-election in Assin North, and a Returning Officer is yet to be appointed for same, any transfer of voters to Assin North will be unlawful and same shall be fiercely rejected by the NDC.

We are closely monitoring this situation and shall take every legitimate step to ensure that this illegal plot is not perpetrated by the Electoral Commission and their collaborators in the NPP.

Signed.

*SAMMY GYAMFI*

(National Communication Officer)

Assin North by-election: Vote for me to return to Parliament; democracy must be restored – Quayson

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Source: ghananewsavenue.com