The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for Cape-Coast North, Kwamina Mintah Nyarkuh has finally been cleared by the Electoral Commission to register and run for the seat after weeks of legal battles.
Mr. Nyarku’s clearance was directed by a High Court in Accra which quashed an earlier judgment by the Cape Coast court upholding the Electoral Commission’s debarment of the Candidate on grounds that he had provided false information about his residential address.
The court of Justice Stephen Oppong issued an order of mandamus compelling the EC to register the Candidate on grounds that he had not been barred from registering as a voter by any court.
So compelled, the Central Regional EC gave Mr Kwamina Mintah Nyarku’s voter ID card which had been withheld, back to him. The NDC PC, however, rejected the card and demanded his name be removed from the exceptions list first. He pressed on the EC to register him afresh as directed by the Accra High Court.
Mr Mintah Nyarku was finally allowed to register at the district office of the EC on 1st October even after a second challenge by the NPP’s Youth Organiser for Cape Coast; Anthony Arku Korsah
Mr. Korsah had insisted that the reopening of registration by the Electoral Commission was for people who had not been captured in the first registration and people who have just turned 18 years. However, the challenge did not hold up and the NDC PC was allowed to register.
Earlier in July, Mr Kwamina Mintah Nyarku had had his voters’ ID card withdrawn for allegedly providing false information about his residential address.
The withdrawal of his card meant that he could not contest for MP and was going to be barred from participating in national elections for five years.
He challenged the EC’s decision but the court presided over by her ladyship Patience Mills Tetteh, dismissed the appeal, upholding the decision of the District Registration Review Committee.
Mr. Mintah Nyarku then filed an Appeal in Accra.