Electoral Commision to conduct another election as Council of State polls comes off today
- The Electoral Commission will today, Friday, February 12, 2021, conduct elections for new regional representatives to the Council of State
- The importance of the Council of State is to counsel the President in the performance of his duties
- 102 candidates from 16 regions have filed to contest
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With the Electoral commissioner busy in the Election petition in court, the Electoral Commission(EC) is preparing for another election.
The Electoral Commission will today, Friday, February 12, 2021, conduct elections for new regional representatives to the Council of State.
The importance of the Council of State is to among other things counsel the President in the performance of his functions.
Source: UGC
According to a CitiNews report, 102 candidates from 16 regions have filed to contest.
The election is expected to be held at all regional capitals across the country.
Former Member of Parliament for the Ningo Prampram constituency, E.T. Mensah, former Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Alhassan Andani, and Ras Mubarak, immediate past MP for Kumbungu will be contesting the election in their various regions.
Prior to the election being held today, there were complaints that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies were unilaterally selecting members to vote in the polls.
According to the Minority in Parliament, some acting Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives are sidestepping laid down procedures.
The elected persons will be joining the 11 appointees already named by President Akufo-Addo.
In other news, the Supreme Court on Thursday, February 11, 2021, ruled that Jean Mensa cannot be compelled to testify in the ongoing election petition trial.
Mensa who was the returning officer in the disputed 2020 presidential elections was expected to mount the witness box to be cross-examined by the lawyers for the petitioner, John Mahama, in the trial
Justin Amenuvor, the lawyer for the EC informed the court that he would not call any witnesses, arguing that the three witnesses called by the petitioner had not satisfied the burden of proof when they appeared before the court.
Tsatsu Tsikata who is the petitioner’s lead counsel however objected to the EC lawyer’s moves.
He argued that the EC chair cannot be shielded from cross-examination after signing the witness statement the first respondent put in the trial.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
