Jean Mensa
The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced the opening of nomination for the by-election at Kumawu Constituency in the Ashanti Region, with the filing fee set at GH¢10,000 per candidate.
The Commission stated that nominations from potential candidates will be accepted from May 2 to 5 in order to hold the election to replace the late Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumawu Constituency, Philip Basoah.
Nominations will be accepted at the Commission’s Sekyere Kumawu District Office from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on each day, the EC, in a statement issued yesterday and signed by its Chairperson, Jean Mensah, said.
According to the Commission, the seat became vacant following the death of MP Philip Basoah, adding that it will hold a by-election in the constituency on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in accordance with Article 112 (5) of the Constitution, as amended.
The electoral management body explained that interested candidates are required to download the nomination forms from the Commission’s website (www.ec.gov.gh) from April 14, 2023 to May 5, 2023.
“A prospective candidate may personally deliver or cause to be delivered on his/her behalf by either the proposer or seconder of his/her nomination, the completed Nomination Forms to the Returning Officer at the Sekyere Kumawu District Office of the Commission, on the dates and times stated above,” the statement added.
The EC stated that each candidate’s nomination form must be witnessed by the signature or mark of two registered voters, as proposer and seconder, and supported by 18 additional registered voters in the constituency as assenting to the nominations.
The nomination forms shall also be endorsed with the candidate’s consent to the nomination, the statement noted.
It continued, “A Candidate shall at the time of submitting his/her completed Nomination Forms, provide the Returning Officer with two (2) copies of a recent post card (bust size) photograph against a red background, showing his/her full face and ears.”
The EC reiterated that the election filing fee is GH¢10,000 per candidate, and that all completed nomination forms are expected to be handed in quadruplicate, urging the public to follow suit.
NPP Clears Six
Meanwhile, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has cleared six (6) out of eight (8) party members who picked up nomination forms to contest the party’s primary on April 23, 2023.
The six are Yaw Baah, a former MP who held the seat from 2002 to 2012; Kwame Appiah-Kubi, the NPP Kumawu Constituency’s First Vice Chairman; Dr. Aboagye Dacosta; Nana Ama Serwaa; Ernest Yaw Anim; and Osei Hweree Kwame Bempah of the NPP Communication Team.
Following vetting on Sunday, April 16, 2023, the party put Edward Kofi Osei and Dr. Philip Bannor’s nominations on hold and urged them to present the Vetting Committee with supporting documentation evidence to corroborate the statements made before the committee.
They have until Wednesday, April 19, 2023 to do so in order for the party to formally reveal the final list of contenders qualified to compete in the primaries.
By Ernest Kofi Adu