Annul Kofi Adams election as MP to allow for SALL to be represented in Parliament – Godfred Dame
Godfred Yeboah Dame, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice has explained in Parliament on Wednesday, March 9 2022 that to enable the people of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe (SALL) in the Oti region vote to elect a Member of Parliament (MP), the election of Mr Kofi Adams who is MP for Buem will have to be annulled.
He argued that “the solution is not just to change the Legislative Instrument (LI) but must also come along with the cancellation of the parliamentary election in 2020 in Buem for fresh one to be conducted”.
That he said If it happens, will give the people of SALL an opportunity to vote.
The A-Gs shocking response was after Mr Kofi Adams on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, March 9 2022 asked a question on what advice he[A-G] gave to the Electoral Commission (EC) on the SALL situation.
Mr Dame responded to the query and said “The advice given by the Attorney General, as I have indicated already, the office advised the Electoral Commission that having regards to the limited time frame for the passage of CI to amend CI128, it was not advisable for the Constitutional Instrument to be laid before Parliament.
“Indeed, the application of the Attorney General came to quash, because Parliament rose on 9th November 2020 and resumed sitting on 14th December 2020 after the election.
“So having regards to the time frame, from 9th November 2020 to 7th December 2020, it was definitely impossible for the achievement of the 21 sitting days before the CI to amend CI 128 would have come to force. No delay had been occasioned and I do not think that a delay in laying the CI before this honourable house would occasion any further delay.
“It is also important to note that if there is an immediate need for the recognition of the right of the ASLL areas to elect their Member of Parliament, I think the solution will just be simple, just annul the election of the Member of Parliament for Buem constituency and when that is done they can hold fresh elections.
“So the solution is not just an annulment or a revocation of the LI, it must be coupled with an annulment of the Buem parliamentary elections.”
About SALL
In 2020, the Electoral Commission (EC) through a release issued ahead of the 2020 elections caused the exclusion of SALL to vote and elect a member of parliament.
Although voters in the SALL traditional areas were allowed to vote in the Buem constituency for the Presidential elections, they were directed by the EC not to participate in the Parliamentary elections. The decision to have them electing their own MP has been pending since after the election which many described as a cardinal sin of the 8th Parliament.
