NDC, NPP, CPP, PNC sue EC

The General Secretaries of the four main political parties have, in an unprecedented move, jointly sued the Electoral Commission seeking to stop it from going ahead with by-elections in Wulensi and Kwabre West.

The ruling NDC, the main opposition NPP as well as the PNC and CPP today came together to file a writ at the high court against the EC and the Attorney General.

The parties argue that the EC cannot go ahead with the bye-elections called in the wake of the death of two MPs because of the absence of a valid voters register.

General Secretary of the NPP Kwodwo Owusu Afriyie confirmed this to Joy News saying all the General Secretaries of the four major political parties have given their consent for the writ to be filed.

He said they are not by this writ challenging the constitutional power of the EC to organize elections but was quick to add, that per Constitution Instrument 72 the EC cannot hold elections with the old voters register.

The EC has penciled July 31, 2012 for the Wulensi bye-elections and August 14 for the Kwabre West and has begun receiving nominations for the Wulensi by election but the parties say they will not be part of it.

Acting Public Relations officer of the Commission Sylvia Annor told Joy News the new register is not yet ready for use.

She explained the register must go through some processes, including exhibition but they are yet to do that.

She said until all corrections are made and the register exhibited they cannot use the biometric register for the bye-elections.

She was emphatic the EC will use the old register for the two bye elections after which it will clean the biometric register for the December General elections.

But the parties will have none of that. Owusu Afriyie said it will be wrong for the EC to go ahead with the elections with the old register and they will not be part of it.

He noted any action by the EC to use the old register for the elections will be "illegal, unreasonable and arbitrary."

He said they have filed a writ at the High Court to place an order of "perpetual injunction on the EC from conducting the elections."

The General Secretary of the NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia affirmed the decision taken by his colleague in the NPP but was quick to sympathize with the EC who he said have been caught up in a difficult situation.

He said it was practically unreasonable for the parties to spend money, raise political tension and take part in the bye-elections only for the general elections to be held in December.

He explained even if the two elections are held, the winners will only be sworn in October because the Parliament will be on recess after which they will sit for three weeks and then another elections will be held.

Asiedu Nketia said "hell will not break lose if we do not hold these two elections."

 Click here for the plaintiffs' Statement of Claim

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