The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has taken legal action against the Electoral Commission (EC) by filing an interlocutory injunction application, seeking to halt the Ejisu by-election.
The CPP’s move is aimed at preventing the April 30 by-election from proceeding until a lawsuit against the Electoral Commission, initiated by Emmanuel Gallo, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the CPP, seeking to stop one Esther Osei from representing the party in the poll, is determined.
Among the six reliefs sought by the party, it is praying the court to declare that no Constituency Branch Conference of the CPP has been held in Ejisu to elect Esther Osei or anybody as a Parliamentary candidate.
“That on record, no Constituency Branch Conference of the CPP has been held in Ejisu and elected the said Esther Osei or anybody as a Parliamentary candidate for consideration and approval by the CPP’s Central Committee to be submitted to Defendant as CPP’s Parliamentary candidate for the said Ejisu Constituency by-election.”
The party added that its “Central Committee has not considered and approved the said Esther Osei or any other person to contest on the ticket and behalf of the CPP as a political party, regarding the Defendant’s intended Ejisu Constituency by-election.
The party argues that any candidate purportedly representing the CPP in the by-election, particularly Esther Osei, has not been officially endorsed through the party’s internal processes as mandated by its constitution.
The CPP contends that the selection of a parliamentary candidate for the constituency should involve the Constituency Branch Party Conference, followed by approval from the Central Committee, which has not occurred in this instance.
In its legal action, the CPP seeks a declaration affirming that the party’s Central Committee has not endorsed Esther Osei or any other candidate to contest on behalf of the CPP in the Ejisu Constituency by-election.
The party is seeking an injunction from the High Court to halt the by-election until its claims and demands are determined.