U/E: We won’t allow NPP to ‘hijack’ Council of State election – NDC

The Upper East Regional Secretariat of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it will resist attempts by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to use illegal processes for the upcoming Council of State election.

According to the NDC, attempts by the NPP in the region to use former Municipal and District Chief Executives and former government appointees to constitute an electoral college for the election is illegal and unconstitutional.

Speaking at a press conference in Zuarungu, the NDC Regional secretary, Donatus Akamuri, argued that, the tenure of former MDCEs and government appointees in the previous NPP administration had expired and hence are ineligible for the Council of State election.

“In the case of the Upper East Region, the Nana Akufo-Addo-led government, the Regional Director of Electoral Commission and some Municipal and District Assemblies have ignored these constitutional provisions and decided to illegally select some former MDCEs and former government appointees to form part of the electoral college without due regard for members of the assemblies who are the right people to make a decision as to who to represent the people of the Upper East Region.”

“As it is now, all former government appointees and MDCEs of the various assemblies ceased to be recognized members of the assemblies since the expiration of their office goes with that of the President of the Republic of Ghana that appointed them into office as members of the assemblies”.

Mr. Akamuri, threatened to litigate the matter if the necessary steps are not taken immediately to address the illegality.

“We wish to call on the Upper East Regional Director of the Electoral Commission to do the needful by immediately directing the various assemblies to convene general meetings of all the municipal and district assemblies to follow the right procedures in the nomination of the members to form the right electoral college before the election of the member of the Council of State for the Upper East Region.”

“If these rightful processes are not followed, the NDC shall oppose and challenge the wrong process legally to ensure the right constitutional provisions are not trampled upon”.