The Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has filed additional documents to support his initial writ at the Supreme Court challenging the appointment of the new board members of the Electoral Commission (EC).
Dafeamekpor is praying the court to revoke the appointment of the two new members– Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani and Dr Peter Appiahene.
The legislator argues that Dr Peter Appiahene being a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), will prevent the National Democratic Congress (NDC) from being declared a winner even if they win the 2024 polls.
“My Lords, in a situation where a free and fair election is what will guarantee a change in government for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to come to power, the 1st Defendant, being a member of the NPP, would not want that to happen. His interest, which is to ensure that the NPP remains in power, will in such circumstances, conflict with the 2nd Defendant Commission’s interest of conducting a free and fair election.
He added in his claims, “My Lords, insofar as the 1st Defendant remains a member of the 2nd Defendant Commission, his partisan interest will always conflict with his duties as a member of the 2nd Defendant Commission charged with the onerous responsibility of supervising and conducting free and fair elections in this county”.
The legislator is claiming the following:
- That on a true and proper interpretation of letter and spirit Articles 23, 45, 46, 284 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution, a person must be neutral, non-partisan, fair-mined and impartial to qualify as a member of the 2nd Defendant Commission
- That on a true and proper interpretation of Articles 23, 45, 46, 284 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution, the 1st Defendant, a known sympathizer and affiliate of the New Patriotic Party, is not neutral, fair-minded and impartial and therefore is not qualified to be a member of the 2nd Defendant Commission.
- That on a true and proper interpretation of Articles 23, 45, 46, 284 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution, the appointment of the 1 Defendant as a member of the 2nd Defendant Commission contravenes the letter and spirit of Articles 23, 45, 46, 284 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution and therefore null and void.
- It is the prayer of the Plaintiff that this Honourable Court grants all the reliefs endorsed on his writ.
Click here to read Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor’s additional comments
