The Central Regional Branch of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has indicated it will challenge the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to withdraw the voter identity card of its parliamentary candidate for the Cape Coast North Constituency.
According to the party, the EC’s claim that Kwamena Mintah Nyarku provided false information about his residence cannot be correct because he is a resident of the said constituency, therefore, withdrawing him on that basis is not right.
“He was born in Cape Coast, schooled and lived in Cape Coast until he traveled abroad. He came back and is now working at the UCC where he also resides.
“He also has had the opportunity to vote at the said Constituency during previous elections,” Central Regional Chairman of the party, Kojo Quansah said on Joy FM’s Newsnite.
The EC Tuesday withdrew the voter’s identity card of Mr Nyarku over claims that he provided false information about his residence to the Commission in the ongoing voter registration exercise.
This decision might prevent Mr Nyarku from contesting for the 2020 parliamentary seat of the Cape Coast North constituency since he may not have a voters card when the nominations and registration opens.
But the NDC is unhappy with the decision.
Mr Quansah said: “The party has taken it up. We are challenging the decision of the EC. We are filing a former petition to the EC.
“Let me state emphatically, the person in question has two houses in the said area and he is a member of our Nkafoa Primary School ‘A’ and that is where he went to register. He has even completed the process when a New Patriotic Party agent raised a false alarm that he doesn’t know him in the area,” he added.
He further indicated that “the EC cannot nullify a candidate while he has not filed a nomination at the Commission.”