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Politics of Monday, 2 March 2015

Source: starrfmonline.com

"There is a creeping illegality in Ghana’s politics needs cure" - Nduom

The leader of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom believes Parliament is flouting the law by dealing with only parties with representation in the House.

According to the 2012 flagbearer of the PPP, Parliament’s decision to exclude the party and others from the official guest list of the State of the Nation Address last Thursday amounts to “illegality” and must be “cured.”

He quoted aspects of the 1992 Constitution to buttress his argument via his official Facebook page.

“The 1992 Constitution Chapter ONE 3: (1) Parliament shall have no power to enact a law establishing a one-party state. (2) Any activity of a person or group of persons which suppresses or seeks to suppress the lawful political activity of any other person or any class of persons or persons generally is unlawful.

“So where from: “Parties with representation in Parliament”? What is that? There is a creeping illegality in our body politic and public discourse that must be cured. This phrase has been tossed about by some media practitioners to justify discrimination against political parties by denying them participation in political programmes they run regularly.

“Political parties exist not just to contest elections! Indeed, Chapter SEVEN of the Constitution affirms this: (3) 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 a national character, and sponsor candidates for election to any public office either than to district assemblies or lower local government unit," Dr Nduom stressed.