Peter Kwakye-Ackah, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Amenfi Central has withdrawn his independent candidacy for the 2024 elections.
In a statement, Mr. Kwakye-Ackah clarified that his decision aligned with the Sekondi High Court’s clearance of NDC candidate Joana Cudjoe to contest the election on December 7.
He says contesting the upcoming election as an independent candidate after breaking ties with the NDC will no longer be possible just 18 days before the election.
“I would like to thank the elders of the party and other leading members of the party for their invaluable counsel that has led to this decision in the supreme interest of the party,” he said in a statement released on November 18.
This comes barely three days after another independent candidate, Dr. Karl Mark Arhin, withdrew from the race to support Ms Cudjoe.
Addressing supporters at a rally in Kyeikrom on November 16, Dr. Arhin clarified that his independent candidate bid was a temporary measure to safeguard the NDC’s presence in the race amid Cudjoe’s legal challenges.
Dr. Arhin, who now serves as Ms Cudjoe’s campaign manager, made the announcement just days after the Sekondi High Court lifted the injunction that had banned Ms Cudjoe from contesting.
Peter Kwakyi Ackah was among the four MPs whose seats were initially declared vacant by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on October 17, 2024, for cross-carpeting ahead of the December polls.
However, the Supreme Court on November 12, 2024, ruled that the declaration by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, was unconstitutional.
The ruling, supervised by a seven-member panel led by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, delivered a 5-2 majority decision favouring the Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who sought an interpretation from the court that Article 97(1) (g) and (h) only applies to a current term of Parliament, and therefore the move by the Speaker to declare the seats of the four MPs vacant is unconstitutional.
Read the full statement below:
PRESS STATEMENT
18TH NOVEMBER, 2024
WITHDRAWAL FROM AMENFI CENTRAL PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION.
I wish to inform the good people of Amenfi Central and the general public of my decision to withdraw my independent candidature from the 2024 Amenfi Central Parliamentary election forthwith.
Under the decision by the High Court and the Electoral Commission to clear the NDC’s parliamentary candidate for this year’s election, I believe that my reasons for filing to contest the election as an independent candidate are no longer tenable.
I would like to thank the Elders of the party and other leading members of the party for their invaluable counsel that has led to this decision in the supreme interest of the party.
Long live the NDC, long live Amenfi Central, long live Ghana.………………………………….
HON. PETER YAW KWAKYE-ACKAH
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, AMENFI CENTRAL
