The Ndc And Acting Rector Must Stop Interfering In Our Src Elections.

We the concerned students of Koforidua Polytechnic are worried about the way our Acting rector Mr G. K Abledu and some NDC operatives are interfering in our SRC elections. The Ag. Rector has even gone to the extent of warning and threatening the SRC leadership with suspension and withdrawal if they carry out the constitutional mandate of students of Koforidua Polytechnic.

At the close of nominations, Eight (8) students had filed their nomination to contest for the position of SRC president. After vetting only two qualified. The election was slated for 19th June but on 18th the EC received an interlocutory injunction on the elections. The interlocutory injunction per the SRC counsel's advice was only valid for ten days.

After the injunction had expired, the SRC's lawyer, Kwabena Ankamah Offei - Badu advised that the SRC elections can be held without any legal consequences since there are no legal impediments.

The SRC electoral commission upon hearing the advice of the lawyer, decided to run the elections on Sunday 5th July, 2015 since the school is scheduled to vacate on the 9th of July 2015.
On Friday 4th July ,the Dean of Students invited the SRC Electoral Commission to a meeting, at the said meeting, the Dean of Students said , he has been directed by the Acting Rector to allow the conduct of only the elections for other positions but leave the presidency for him to appoint.

A decision the General Assembly of the Koforidua Polytechnic SRC vehemently disagreed on. The General Assembly gave the SRC Electoral Commission the mandate to run the elections for all positions and should not leave the president out because it will be a breach of the SRC constitution.

The Acting Rector upon hearing the decision of the General Assembly, came straight to the polytechnic ceremonial grounds talking and shouting "I will not allow it".
Within minutes the NDC regional communication officer one Selorm among other NDC operatives joined the acting rector.
Reliable information reaching us is that, later in the day after the Acting Rector's meeting with the NDC operatives, he called the SRC EC ex-officio and threatened to suspend or withdraw him if he dares go ahead with the elections. The Acting Rector still maintained his position that "He will only allow election for all other positions with the exception of the presidency. "

Because the student body disagreed with the Acting Rector's directive, he called the Eastern Regional Director of Electoral Commission not to come and supervise the elections. He also reported same to the regional crime officer of Police to stop us from voting on Sunday 5th July.

We wish to state in very clear terms that we the students shall not be intimidated in any way by the Acting Rector's posturing. The Ag. Rector must stop doing the bidding of the NDC government but remain a neutral arbitrator in this process, taking an entrenched position will not help matters. This is students elections and students must be allowed to run it according to the dictates of the SRC constitution.

We also want to tell the NDC government and its operatives to stop interfering and stop creating confusion among students. Rather they should concentrate on solving the many problems they have brought on students and the country at large.

In fact, the decision of the Acting Rector has made many students and candidates very aggrieved. We the students have issued a letter to the management of the polytechnic to desist from interfering in SRC elections or we will hit the streets to demonstrate on Tuesday.

Let's resist administrative and government interference because we are many and they are few.

Thank you.

Long live our SRC!
Long live Koforidua Polytechnic!

Signed.

Concern students
0243753571
0269033547
0207389493
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