NDC Files Complaint Against NPP

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has filed a complaint with the Electoral Commission (EC) requesting it to cause the police to investigate allegations that the Tema East Branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) distributed money to candidates contesting the district assembly election in contravention of the law.

The complaint, addressed to the Chairman of the EC by the party and singed by the General Secretary, Dr N. Josiah Aryeh alleged that an amount of ?17 million was mobilized and distributed by the Tema East Branch of the NPP to 17 candidates contesting the polls. The complaint mentioned Mr Daniel Titus Glover, Assistant Secretary of the Tema branch of the NPP, as the originator of the allegations.

Mr Titus Glover’s statement, which has been repeated in many places was reported on the front page of the “Evening News” of Wednesday, August 7, 2002. the statement said “The NDC wishes to state that the actions attributed to the NPP violate the Constitution and breach provisions of the Local Government Act (1993) Act 462”. The complaint contended that Article 5 of the constitution holds that “Subject to the provisions of this article, a political party is free to participate in shaping the political will of the people, to disseminate information on political ideas, social and economic programmes of national character, and sponsor candidates for elections to any public office other than to the District Assemblies”.

It asserted that “By article 248 (2) of the Constitution, a party shall not endorse, sponsor, offer a platform to or in any way campaign for or against a candidate seeking election to a district assembly or any local government unit”. The complaint said Article 7 (3) and & (4) of the Local Government Act says a candidate who contravenes Section 7 of the Local Government Act “commits an offence and on conviction shall have his nomination cancelled by the Electoral Commission.”

It said the Act also spells out that a political party which contravenes that provision commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding ?5 million. It said, “We are by this complaint requesting the EC to cause the police to investigate the claims already referred to above that the Tema East NPP distributed money to district assembly candidates by way of sponsorship”.