Court rules out NDC’s attempt to disqualify Gender Minister

General news for Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Source: angelonline.com.gh

2020-09-30

The Swedru District Court has thrown out a plot by the Democratic National Congress to cause the automatic disqualification of the NPP Member of Parliament by Agona West, Cynthia Mamle Morrison in the December elections.

The NDC had asked the court to order the Elections Commission to remove Cynthia Morrison’s name from the voter registry.

But the court was convinced that the claims made by NDC Wawaase branch president Eric Yankey that Ms. Morrison does not reside in the constituency were false.

Cynthia Morrison, who is also the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection registered at the Ntiamoah Hotel polling station in the Wawase polling place.

After he was issued a valid voter identification card and left the registration center, the NDC agent posed a challenge in his absence. The NDC was slow to challenge because the minister outwitted them when they had gathered at the Ankyease registration center, where the minister voted as they planned to execute the challenge agenda there.

Having failed in that attempt, Eric Yankey was forced to file a lawsuit against the MP when the NDC realized during the disclosure exercise that the EC had included Ms. Morrison’s name in the record.

His main case was that the house number that the deputy used as proof of being a resident does not belong to him.

Therefore, the minister was summoned to appear before the Agona Swedru District Court on Monday, which she honored. The case was postponed to the next day.

But her legal team, including Gomoa West MP Alex Abban and Joseph Takye, proved in court that Ms. Morrison is a resident of Agona West with supporting documents indicating that the house is hers.

Having heard both parties, the court ruled in favor of Cynthia Morrison on Tuesday.

Interestingly, some jubilant PNP supporters in court suspected that the court case was influenced by some elements within the PNP that were working against the MP’s re-election bid.

“I hope that our MCE, Justina Marigold Assan and the suspended president of the constituency, Kojo Addo, are not behind the key players in this event,” an NPP member who gave his name as Ishmael Yawson told the media.