A former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has rejected the protestations of items sharing meant for vote buying accused by an opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), at the ongoing by-elections in Assin North Constituency.
The long-serving NPP national officer argued that the accusations were baseless since item sharing was for humanitarian purposes not otherwise.
He further stated that the NDC was also sharing fertilizers and machetes with members of the electoral area.
”NDC members in the electoral area are also sharing fertilizers and machetes….. didn’t you see that? the former stated.”
Backing his claims, he stated that he could not resist his people from having access to comfortable conveyance to the polling center to exercise their constitutional rights.
”As I stand here, about 20 people came to me this morning that they want to come and vote, won’t I give them transportation to come, he quizzed.”
John Boadu has asserted the use of money during elections as a mandate which should not be politicized by the opposition, describing such an act as ‘childish’. He furthered that supporting party members was significantly crucial.
The Assin Fosu-born lost to Justin Frimpong Koduah in the 2022 NPP internal elections held in Accra.
Background
The Assin North elections come up after the Parliament of Ghana formally informed Madam Jean Mensa, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) of the vacancy in the Assin North Constituency.
In a Supreme Court ruling in the case of Michael Ankomah Nimfah vs James Gyakye Quayson, the Electoral Commission of Ghana and the Attorney-General (AG) on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, ordered Parliament to expunge the name of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP), Mr. James Gyakye Quayson, as a sitting MP.
The court held that the whole process leading to the election of Mr. Quayson filing of nomination forms, the election itself, and swearing-in–were all in violation of Article 94(2)(a) of the 1992 Constitution, which bars a person with dual citizenship from contesting as an MP.
It was the considered view of the court that as of the time, Mr. Quayson filed his nomination forms in October 2020 to contest for the Assin North seat, he had not renounced his Canadian citizenship and, therefore, was not qualified per Article 94(2)(a) of the Constitution.
Meanwhile, watch an excerpt of the video here:
[Assin North by Election]: Former General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu responds to claims from NDC.#ElectionCommandCentre #3NewsGH pic.twitter.com/EtKe1BcYV9
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) June 27, 2023
