We have picked reliable information from a very reliable source in Kumawu that, the independent candidate for the Kumawu by-election, Kwaku Duah, is taking steps to place a court injunction on the by-election.
We understand he is unhappy with the way and manner the Electoral Commission has conducted and managed the process so far, particularly relating to the symbols chosen by the various political parties and candidates for the election.
Speaking with a member of his team at Bodomase, he expressed concerns about a supposed imposition of a symbol on their candidate by the Electoral Commission. According to him, they had already chosen and submitted their choice of symbol to the Electoral Commission which was subsequently accepted by the Electoral Commission, and accordingly published in the notice of polls for the by-election.
“We are going to court. We have no other option than to go to court because the EC has decided to bully and intimidate Kwaku Duah. Why should they change our symbol and impose their choice on us?”
He added, “The District boss of the EC in Kumawu sent the notice of polls to us. I mean the original notice of polls which has our chosen symbol. Haven’t you seen it all over in the public space? Where from the U-turn?”
The camp of the independent candidate claims, they have already campaigned with their falcon image, and as such find it highly unfair to change it less than a week to the by-election. They argue that the symbols on the ballot are not the same and will therefore cause no confusion or deception.
“Is it fair for us to change our symbol after campaigning with it and the notice of polls all this while? Changing it just less than a week to the by-election?”
He went further to add, “The symbols are not even in the same. Ours is a sketch image of a falcon. The other is a bold picture of a bird with an olive leaf in the mouth”
Another member of his team cited an instance where some major political parties in the country have featured a common object in their symbols on the ballot in an election organised by the same Electoral Commission.
“The EC has even over the years supervised elections where both the CPP and the GCPP have featured a red-coloured chicken in their symbols. Even in the 2020 elections, there were similar symbols so why is the EC doing this to us?” She added.
They argue that the EC has not treated them fairly, and for that matter, has decided to go to court to place an injunction on the by-election till all these outstanding issues are resolved.
The Member of Parliament for the Kumawu Constituency, Hon. Philip Basoah, passed on about two months ago, and as the constitution requires, a by-election must be conducted to elect a replacement. The election is expected to be held on Tuesday, 23rd May 2023.
