New GJA President's Eligibility Challenged

Accra, Aug. 22, GNA - The Vice President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Yaw Owusu-Addo on Friday challenged the eligibility of the GJA President-Elect, Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh to have contested the elections.

"Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh was palpably ineligible to stand for the post for lack of capacity at the time he filed to contest for the post," Mr Owusu-Addo stated in a petition to the GJA Elections Officer, Mr Mawusi Afele.

The GJA Vice President, who contested for the post but lost to Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh, had gracefully conceded defeated on Thursday night and congratulated him.

In the petition Mr Owusu-Addo said he had "stumbled upon information which goes to prove that at the material time that Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafo, editor of the daily graphic filed his nomination to contest the GJA presidential election, he Boadu-Ayeboafoh was palpably ineligible to stand for the post for lack of capacity".

He, therefore, called for the declaration of the Presidential elections held on August 21st, 2003, null and void.

Mr Owusu-Addo said at the close of nominations on July 31 2003, the President-Elect was not a paid-up member of the Association and, therefore, could not have been qualified to file his nomination.

"That on the 31st day of July 2003, Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo had not paid his dues as a member for three years running' and saying, that he paid his dues on Monday August 2003, three weeks after filing his nominations.

Quoting Article 21(2)(a) of the GJA Constitution, Mr Owusu-Addo, who is a Lawyer, said candidates for the elections should have been members of the Association for the last five years to qualify to contest for national offices and three years for regional offices and have their dues up to date.

Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo told the GNA that he was a paid up member and that the GJA itself extended the date for members to pay.

He said Mr Owusu-Addo's name was not on the list of members in good standing, while his name was on the list that was pasted in media houses and published in the Daily Graphic of August 21, 2003.

The GJA Electoral Officer supported by Officials from the Electoral Commission declared Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh winner when he polled 290 votes as against 256 by Mr Owusu-Addo.

Meanwhile the GJA Elections Officer Mr Afele told the Ghana News Agency that the petition would be investigated.