Court Dismisses Samuel Apea-Danquah's Injunction To Halt EC's Ballot Paper Printing

• The Accra High Court has dismissed an injunction application filed by Samuel Apea-Danquah against the Electoral Commission
• Apea-Danquah had sought to injunct the EC from going ahead to print the notice of polls and ballot papers for the 2024 general election
• Samuel Apea-Danquah was one of 11 candidates who the commission had disqualified over errors in their nomination forms

Yellow Ghana Movement’s attempt to stop the Electoral Commission (EC) from printing the Notice of Poll and ballot papers for the 2024 election has hit a snag.

In a ruling on November 14, 2024, the Accra High Court dismissed the case, effectively ending the party's hopes of presidential glory.

The court argued that Martin Kpebu's application, filed on behalf of his client, the flagbearer of the Yellow Ghana Movement, was without merit and baseless.

The lawsuit followed the disqualification of Samuel Apea-Danquah from contesting in the 2024 presidential election on the ticket of the party.

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The EC stated that Apea-Danquah's and 10 other presidential candidates' nomination forms were fraught with errors, resulting in their disqualification.

However, in court, Kpebu argued that the EC had breached his client’s fundamental right to be heard and had failed to specify the grounds for his disqualification.

He further argued that the commission had also not allowed Apea-Danquah the opportunity to correct the errors in the nomination forms.

What other reliefs were Apea-Danquah seeking?

In a motion filed on October 10, 2024, Apea-Danquah asked the court to issue an order of certiorari to quash the EC's decision to disqualify his candidacy.

He was also seeking an order of mandamus to compel the EC to reinstate the applicant as a valid presidential candidate for the 2024 presidential election.

He urged the court to also prohibit the EC from taking further steps in the 2024 presidential elections, including printing ballot sheets and conducting the elections until the applicant’s legal rights were restored and to issue an order of injunction against the entire electoral process until the legal action was resolved.

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Apea-Danquah was also seeking damages for the loss of political capital and reputation and the damage to his standing as a public figure and leader caused by his disqualification.

He also sought damages for the financial loss and expenses caused by the loss of campaign momentum, loss of initiative, and the cost incurred by fighting his disqualification.

PPP files lawsuit against EC

YEN.com.gh also reported that the Progressive People's Party (PPP) has initiated legal action against the Electoral Commission over its candidate's disqualification from the December 7 polls.

In its lawsuit, the PPP stated that the EC's rejection of its candidate’s nomination forms was arbitrary and unlawful and that the commission acted unfairly, urging the court to intervene.

Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh