The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticized the Electoral Commission (EC) for disqualifying Joana Gyan Cudjoe, the party’s parliamentary candidate for Amenfi Central.
Edudzie Tamekloe, Head of Legal Affairs for the NDC, described the decision as “mischievous” and “disingenuous.”
Speaking on Citi FM’s Breakfast Show, Tamekloe expressed disbelief at the EC’s basis for disqualification, citing an interlocutory injunction related to Cudjoe’s candidacy in the May 12 primary.
He emphasized that the EC had been a party to the legal proceedings and therefore should not have taken such an action.
Tamekloe further explained that the EC was fully aware of the court case in Sekondi, noting that the commission had representatives present at every hearing.
“Each time we appeared before the judge in Sekondi, there was a representative for the EC, so the proceedings were known to them,” he said.
According to him, the EC even supervised a rerun of the election after the injunction and yet referenced the same injunction as the basis for disqualification, a move he called “completely disingenuous.”
He accused the EC’s Deputy Chairman, Samuel Tettey, of acting unfairly in a letter dated October 10, informing Cudjoe of her disqualification.
The NDC believes the EC’s actions were politically motivated. Tamekloe expressed frustration that the EC appeared to be targeting their candidate despite her compliance with the electoral process.
“The EC cannot act like an octopus and move everywhere looking to disqualify a candidate whose election it supervised,” he stated.
He further hinted that the NDC would take all necessary steps to ensure fairness in the Amenfi Central contest, accusing the EC of acting on behalf of certain interests.