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NDC withdraws Afram Plain South MP from 2016 parliamentary contest

By MyJoyOnline
NDC NDC withdraws Afram Plain South MP from 2016 parliamentary contest
SEP 30, 2016 LISTEN

The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) has withdrawn its parliamentary candidate for Kwahu Affram Plains South, Joseph Appiah, 67 days to the general elections.

The party is yet to provide official reasons for the withdrawal of the candidate but it is suspected that a pending court case against him may have been the trigger.

Mr Appiah who is also the incumbent MP for the area is alleged to have been convicted of fraud outside the country.

He was reported to have been eventually deported to Ghana, joined the NDC and went on to represent the constituency in parliament 2012, a writ issued against him stated.

An Accra High Court last August granted an application for interlocutory injunction against Joseph Appiah Boateng.

The plaintiff Dickson Adjei Danso prayed the court to restrain the defendant from campaigning ahead of the December polls until a final determination of a motion.

Legal practitioner Nkrabeah Effah Dartey of Nkrabeah & Associates, counsel for Dickson Adjei Danso, told the court that the incumbent MP Joseph Appiah Boateng does not deserve to represent the constituents in the legislator because he got involved in criminal case.

He asked the court to disqualify him.
According to the lawyer, "in 1998/99, the Honourable MP, known as Joseph Appiah, run away from a criminal case against him at the Osu Police Station changed his name to Charles Yeboah and travelled to new Zealand. Along the line, he got involved in a case of fraud and was convicted in Auckland and sent home to Ghana,” it stated.

The NDC Afram Plains South Constituency had earlier expressed absolute confidence in the party’s Member of Parliament (MP), Mr. Joseph Appiah Boateng.

The Deputy Communications Officer, Mr. Daniel Awute had, in August, rubbished the claims saying it is a conspiracy to tarnish his image.

Mr. Awute said if it was indeed true that the MP was a fugitive, there should be no difficulty for the country where he broke the law to apply to Interpol for him to be arrested and send back to face justice.

Although the outcome of the suit filed by Dickson Adjei Danson is yet to be determined, the party is said to be avoiding a politically risky candidate and losing the seat.

The NDC may not want to carry the burden of fielding a candidate who is a subject of controversy and court suits.

In his stead, the party has directed that it's Eastern Regional Secretary, Oliver Mark-Kevor is representing the party in the constituency.

Joy News' Kofi Siaw who is in the constituency has reported that Mr Mark-Kevor has filed his nomination to effectively bundle the current MP out of the 2016 race for parliament.

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Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com

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