NDC insists Charles Opoku not qualified to be transferred from Tarkwa to Assin North to contest

The opposition party National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Electoral Commission (EC) of plotting to robe in an unqualified candidate in the upcoming Assin North by-election.

Lawyer Edudzie Tamakloe, a member of the NDC legal team, made these claims during a discussion on TV3's 'New Day' morning show.

According to Tamakloe, Sammy Gyamfi the NDC's National Communications Officer has raised concerns about a plot involving the EC and the NPP to transfer the voter registration of a candidate named Charles Opoku from Tarkwa Nsuaem constituency to contest the NPP primaries in Assin North Constituency.

He said, “Sammy Gyamfi’s message was simple. As the National Communications Officer of the party, he had put out there that the NDC had become aware of a plot by the EC together with the NPP to cause the transfer of the voter registration of a candidate in the NPP primaries by name Charles Opoku.”

Providing further details, Lawyer Edudzi mentioned that Charles Opoku is a registered voter in Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency.

“Charles Opoku has his voter registration number in Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency,” the lawyer said.

According to Mr Tamakloe, Section 22 of CI 127 stipulates that a registered voter who has resided in a constituency for at least 12 months can apply to have their name transferred to the voter list of another constituency before an election. The voter transfer he stressed must be processed at least 42 days prior to the election.

“The law says in sessions 22 of CI 127 that “A registered voter who before an election is resident for not less than 12 months in a constituency other than that in which the registered voter is registered may apply to the returning officer of the constituency where the registered voter is resident for the name of the registered voter to be entered onto a transfer list of polling station in that constituency,"” Tamakloe said.

Based on the provisions of CI 127, Regulation 22, he argued that the transfer of Charles Opoku's vote cannot meet the 42 days period judging from the June 27 date set for the by-election.

He said, “Now the law further says that you can do that 42 days before the election. As we speak, the Electoral Commission has put a notice out there…there is going to be a by-election on the 27th of June.”

“Our point is this, by reason of this CI 127, regulation 22, that transfer cannot happen within the 42 days period,” he added.