Three residents of Agona Swedru have filed a lawsuit challenging the eligibility of Cynthia Mamle Morrison, the sitting Member of Parliament (MP) for Agona West, to contest the parliamentary seat in the upcoming December 2024 election.
The plaintiffs are seeking several legal remedies and have named both Cynthia Morrison and the Electoral Commission (EC) of Agona Swedru as defendants in the case.
The case is set to be heard on October 7, 2024, at the Swedru Magistrate Court in the Central Region.
The plaintiffs, Emmanuel Addison, Solomon Nyarko, and Harrison K. Aglago claimed the residence of the two-term Member of Parliament is outside the constituency, therefore making her ineligible to contest.
Cynthia Morrison has filed to contest as an independent parliamentary candidate in Agona West after losing the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary slot to Mr. Chris Arthur earlier this year.
Reliefs Sought by Plaintiffs
The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare that Morrison, the first defendant, is not qualified to contest for the Agona West parliamentary seat. Specifically, they are seeking the following reliefs:
1. A declaration that Cynthia Morrison is not qualified to contest for the Agona West parliamentary seat in the December 2024 elections.
2. An order directed at the second defendant, the Electoral Commission, to disqualify Morrison from contesting the election.
3. An order directing the Electoral Commission to expunge Morrison’s name from the list of candidates eligible to contest the December 2024 parliamentary election.
4. A perpetual injunction preventing Morrison from contesting the Agona West seat until she satisfies the legal requirements.
5. Any other reliefs deemed appropriate by the court.
Subject Matter of the Claim
According to the plaintiffs, Morrison is a resident of Agona East, not Agona West, and therefore does not meet the constitutional and statutory requirements to run for MP in the Agona West Constituency. They assert that Morrison currently resides at the Maryland Montessori School in Kwansakrom, located in Agona East, making her ineligible to contest in Agona West.
The plaintiffs argue that per the electoral laws of Ghana, a parliamentary candidate must either hail from, reside in, or have lived in the constituency they intend to represent for a specific period. They contend that Morrison’s residency in Agona East disqualifies her from running for office in Agona West.
They claim that the second defendant, the Electoral Commission, has a constitutional obligation to ensure that only qualified individuals are allowed to stand for parliamentary elections in the constituency.
The plaintiffs, as concerned citizens and qualified voters in Agona West, feel compelled to act to protect the integrity of the electoral process. They argue that allowing Morrison to contest the election would violate the constitution and electoral laws of Ghana.
Cynthia Morrison, the sitting MP for Agona West, has served in Parliament for the constituency since 2016. She is also a former Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection. However, in this election, she has opted to contest as an independent candidate, a decision that has stirred controversy within the constituency.
The case will now proceed to the Swedru Magistrate Court on October 7, 2024, where the legal battle over Morrison’s candidacy will unfold. The outcome of the case could have significant implications for both the upcoming parliamentary elections and the political landscape in Agona West.
Source: Newstitbits.com