The Electoral Commission (EC) has cleared six candidates to contest in the upcoming Ejisu by-election in the Ashanti Region, scheduled for Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
The Ejisu seat has been vacant since March 7, 2024, following the death of its Member of Parliament (MP) and a deputy Minister of Finance, Dr John A. Kumah, who is yet to be buried.
The nominations opened by the EC were officially closed on Thursday, April 18, with six candidates, made up of two females and four males, successfully filling their nominations and have been cleared to contest.
The candidates are: Esther Osei, representing the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and picking the number one spot, followed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s Lawyer Kwabena Boateng, Beatrice Boakye of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), and a former NPP MP, who is contesting as an independent candidate, Mr Kwabena Owusu Aduomi.
The other two candidates are Gabriel Agyemang Joseph and Attakorah Joseph both going independent and picking the fifth and sixth positions respectively.
The EC per the 1992 constitution, opened nominations on April 9 to hold a by-election to elect a representative for the constituency.
Meanwhile, the largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has decided not to contest, stating that it was focusing on the December 7 General Election.
According to Mr Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the NDC General Secretary, the decision was made to enable them channel all resources towards winning the Ejisu seat in the December 2024 polls.
According to the 1992 Constitution, whenever a vacancy occurs in Parliament, the Clerk to Parliament shall notify the EC in writing within seven days after the vacancy occurred, and a by-election shall be held within 30 days after the vacancy occurred.
However, a by-election shall not be held within three months before the holding of a General Election.
BY TIMES REPORTER
