The Member of Parliament for Buem Constituency, Kofi Adams, says he is ready to contest in another election in the area.
According to him, it would not be a challenge for him if the government insists that another election must be conducted to rectify the anomaly of some traditional residents in the Guan district being denied the opportunity to vote in the Buem constituency parliamentary elections.
Speaking on Eyewitness News, he said the government is failing to address the main challenge which is the creation of the new Guan district which could lead to the creation of an additional constituency to Buem.
“I am ready for any election any day that will include all these four traditional areas in Buem if that is what government is proposing. I don’t mind if they say the law says that is what must be done. But clearly that is not the way it should be, that is not the solution. The question is for you to present the C.I. for the creation of the Guan constituency now,” he said.
The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has proposed the annulment of the 2020 parliamentary elections in the Buem constituency to allow for fresh polls.
This, he says, is to ensure that the people of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL) exercise their right to vote, so they are represented in the 8th Parliament.
The people of SALL did not vote in the parliamentary elections but participated in the presidential polls with the expected creation of the Guan constituency.
Answering questions in Parliament on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, the Attorney General indicated that the constitutional instrument needed to create the new Guan constituency is with the Electoral Commission and will be laid in the house soon.
“So the way to go if we want to achieve representation of the SALL areas in the lifetime of this Parliament, is to ensure that proper areas that have been allocated within proper constituencies duly created by law are given their right to vote in proper elections properly conducted to duly elect Members of Parliament.
Thus, a proper election ought to be conducted to elect a Member of Parliament to represent all of the people in the Buem constituency, as mandated by C. I. 128.,” he said.
But Kofi Adams said the proposal by the minister was meaningless.
He said the decision on whether or not the Buem constituency seat should be annulled must be left in the hands Parliament while the government and the Electoral Commission focus on bringing the Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) to parliament for the creation of the Guan district.
“Whether we have to have a by-election for the MP to participate in parliament or not should be left for parliament to decide and if anybody is dissatisfied with the decision of parliament, they can go to the supreme court.”
“His [Attorney-General] duty together with the EC is to submit the C.I.” Mr. Adams added.