Kumawu by-election: Edward Osei pulls out of NPP primary
Edward Osei has withdrawn his candidature in the Kumawu by-election after several consultations
A parliamentary candidate hopeful, Edward Kofi Osei, has opted out of the upcoming New Patriotic Party (NPP) primary in Kumawu.
The vetting of the former managing director of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) was put on hold after the Danquah Smith Buttey-led committee raised issues about his dual citizenship status.
But even before a Wednesday (19 April) deadline to prove his case, the aspirant said he will no longer contest the race. Osei believes this decision is in the best interest of the party.
He said during a press conference, “I resigned to bring a sense of calmness to Kumawu and the NPP. I am a citizen of Ghana and also hold a United States passport.
“I was confident of receiving my letter of renunciation by the 5 May deadline. But my party was worried if that did not happen and so as a lawyer, I have decided, after several consultations, to withdraw my candidature.”
Osei contested the 2020 primaries in Kumawu but lost to the late Philip Basoah, despite holding his dual citizenship status.
He said, “this was possible because, under our Supreme Court interpretation of Article 94(2a) of the Ghana Constitution which talks about owing allegiance to another country, Republic V High Court Ex Parte Zenator Rawlings affirmed that a person must qualify as an MP at the time they submit their form to the EC.
“When the EC has not opened nomination, a person cannot be disqualified. The election was held on 20 June 20 2020 and the EC opened nominations on 9 October 2020, a whole five months. So, If I had won the primaries in 2020 there will have been a whole five months to prove my eligibility in 2020.”
Battle lines drawn
Meanwhile, the battle lines have been drawn with all six candidates picking various positions on the ballot to be used for the 23 April contest. The ruling NPP published the list early Wednesday (18 April) to make way for the candidates to intensify campaigns ahead of the polls.
The winner will contest on the ticket of the party in the constituency by-election in the Ashanti Region.
The exercise by the party is to replace the deceased MP for Kumawu, Philip Basoah, who passed in the early hours of Tuesday 28 March at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
Recall
Parliament, before adjourning sine die for the Easter holidays, notified the Electoral Commission (EC) of the need to conduct a by-election in the Kumawu Constituency following the death of Philip Basoah, the NPP MP for the area.
The EC has set 23 May for the by-election.
Basoah, 53, was a member of the Seventh Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
Reporting by Jonathan Ofori in the Ashanti Region
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