GJA agrees to re-run presidential vote

Accra, Sept. 12, GNA - The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Friday decided at an Extraordinary Congress to have a re-run of the presidential election on Friday, October 3 2003. The Journalists resolved to re-run the vote by 68-31 with eight abstentions.

A statement signed by Mrs Gifty Affenyi-Adadzie said filing of nominations opens on Friday, September 12 and closes at 1700 hours on Monday September 22.

The Congress also decided that only members, who were fully paid-up members as at July 31 2003, could contest the election.

"This means one of the previous candidates, Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh is not eligible to contest," the statement said.

The statement said the Congress also discussed matters concerning the GJA Awards and who qualifies to be called a Journalist.

It said Congress agreed that a Constitutional Review Committee be set up when the new executive takes office to receive memoranda from members on the proposed amendments to the GJA Constitution.

"The National Executive wishes to thank all GJA members and friends of the media for their cooperation, sympathy and solidarity during the crisis," the statement said.

In attendance at the Congress were both Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, Editor of the Daily Graphic newspaper, who was elected GJA President and Mr Yaw Owusu-Addo, Director of Radio, his contender. Mr Owusu-Addo challenged the results and called for the nullification of the vote for the presidency.

He asked that he should be declared President since Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh was not a paid-up member of the Association at the time he filed his nomination.

Following the objection raised by Mr Owusu-Addo on the eligibility of Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh to contest the election, the GJA appointed a three-member Ad-Hoc Committee to look into the matter.

Headed by Mr Yonny Kulendi, the Committee, which looked into the matter, upheld Mr Owusu-Addo's petition and nullified the candidature and subsequent election of Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh. It then declared Mr Owusu-Addo President-elect.

A section of members of the GJA, however, challenged the verdict of the Kulendi Committee and threatened to break away if Mr Owusu-Addo was sworn in as President.