The Electoral Commission (EC) has officially announced the clearance of six candidates to contest in the upcoming Ejisu by-election scheduled for Tuesday, April 30.
The nominations closed on Thursday, April 18, with candidates rushing to submit their forms at the EC’s Ejisu district office in the Ashanti Region.
Among the cleared candidates is Lawyer Kwabena Boateng, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) parliamentary candidate, who secured the number two spot on the ballot.
Former MP Ing. Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, running as an independent candidate, will be number four, and Beatrice Boakye representing the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) will appear third.
The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has Esther Osei as their candidate, listed in the number one spot. Gabriel Agyemang Joseph and Joseph Attakora, both running as independent candidates, will be numbers five and six, respectively.
According to Starfm.com.gh, the nomination process faced controversy as executives of the CPP tried to block their own parliamentary candidate, Esther Osei, from filing her nomination application.
Regional Chairman Emmanuel Gallo allegedly directed the EC not to accept the documents, causing confusion. However, after resolution of internal disputes within the CPP, the nomination forms have now been accepted.
The by-election aims to elect a new Parliamentary candidate for the Ejisu Constituency following the passing of the former Member of Parliament for the constituency, John Kuma, who also served as the deputy finance minister.
Notably, the largest opposition party, the NDC, failed to field a candidate for the by-election.
Former NPP MP Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, contesting as an Independent candidate, is expected to provide stiff competition, given his previous political experience.
The NPP allegedly sponsored Mrs. Helena Mensah, the presiding member for the Ejisu municipal assembly, and whip of all the MMDCEs in the Greater Kumasi metropolis, to campaign for their party's parliamentary candidate, Lawyer Kwabena Boateng, in an attempt to neutralize Aduomi's influence in the constituency.
In a potentially controversial move, the ruling New Patriotic Party has reportedly deployed road contractors to the constituency to begin road construction projects, seen by some as an attempt to sway voters.
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The Ejisu by-election scheduled for Tuesday, April 30