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General News of Saturday, 19 July 2008

Source: jfm

Dual Nationality Disqualifies Aspiring NPP MP

The legal committee of the New Patriotic Party has advised the party hierarchy to annul the election of Professor Kojo Amoako as the party’s Abuakwa North parliamentary candidate on the grounds of holding dual nationality.

The professor was said to have made false declaration to the vetting committee in his bid to become the NPP parliamentary candidate.

He was said to be holding a Ghanaian and United States nationality before filing to become the NPP’s parliamentary candidate.

In a letter cited by Joy News from the Legal Committee and addressed to party chairman Mr. Peter Mac Manu, indicate that the Professor violated article 94(2) of the national constitution which states that a person shall not be qualified to be a Member of Parliament if he holds allegiance to a country other than Ghana and article 2(4) of the NPP constitution which states no member shall be entitled to apply for nomination as an MP unless he qualifies under our electoral laws to become an MP.

After a careful scrutiny of 3 petitions sent before the legal committee, including that of the sitting MP, the committee said it was not impressed with the explanation by the professor that he planned to renounce his citizenship and would not have owed allegiance to any other country.

The committee said the professor failed to renounce his citizenship, rendering him ineligible to apply for the party’s candidature.

The Committee has therefore requested that Prof. Amoako’s application, vetting and election be annulled.

Meanwhile the party’s Steering Committee has referred the several unresolved parliamentary primaries to the highest decision making body of the party, the National Executives Committee for consideration and decision.