PNC In Court For Contempt

BARELY a week after an Accra Fast Track High Court gave them the green light to hold their national congress, six executive members of the People's National Convention (PNC) including its flagbearer in the 2006 general elections, Dr. Edward Mahama, are set for yet another legal battle.

The former Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the party, E.A. Halm-Quartey and Vice Treasurer, Hadjia Fati Ibrahim, who had earlier sought a court order restraining party executive members from holding the national congress, have filed a contempt application against the six for holding the Greater Accra regional congress when the matter was still in court.

The court orders being sought by the plaintiffs in the substantive trial included the restraining of the executive members from holding themselves out as an Interim Executive Committee to organise constituency and regional congresses to elect new executives.

According to the plaintiffs, the defendants, who are the PNC executives, in spite of the matter being in court, went ahead to organise the Greater Accra regional congress a few weeks ago, which the plaintiffs claimed amounted to contempt of court.

The legal battle comes in the wake of purported dismissal of Mr. Halm-Quartey as Greater Accra Regional Chairman on October 25, 2007, even though his term of office is to expire on January 9, 2009.

The court case turned ugly last week, as some members of the party nearly stripped Mr. Halm-Quartey naked before engaging in a free-for-all fight at the court premises. The situation was brought under control by the security personnel on duty that day.

The contempt application, filed by Justice Ofori-Atta, has been adjourned to December 17, 2007.

Other claims being sought by the plaintiffs in the substantive matter include a court declaration that Gabriel Pwamang, the General Secretary of the party, was not the substantive General Secretary, and that the purported removal of the first plaintiff, Halm Quartey from his position was against the PNC constitution and therefore had no legal effect.

The plaintiffs further want a court declaration that it was ultra vires with the party constitution for any person or body of the PNC to convene a meeting for the purposes of electing a presidential candidate, a national chairman or vice chairman before May 28, 2008.

In addition, they want a declaration setting aside the removal of Mr. Halm-Quartey from his position as well as the four persons constituted to oversee the organisation of the Accra congress.

Other defendants in the suit include Gabriel Pwamang, General Secretary, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, Alhaji Abdul –Moomin, Robert Baah and Abdiel Godly Baba Ali.

The plaintiffs were represented by John Ndebugri, Member of Parliament for Zebilla while the defendants were represented by Annor Andoh.

By Fidelia Achama