Jomoro MP Wins Election Petition
The Takoradi High Court has ruled in favour of Member of Parliament for Jomoro constituency, Dorcas Toffey over an election petition filed by one Joshua Emuah Kofie.
Dorcas was accused of holding American and Ivorian citizenship at the time of filing to contest the Jomoro Parliamentary seat contrary to the constitution.
She denied allegations of possessing American citizenship but noted she annulled her Ivorian citizenship before filing to contest.
On October 25, an Ivorian lawyer, Dadje Ange Rodrigue of Abidjan, Plateau, testified in favour of the MP noting that any person who acquires foreign citizenship automatically loses his /her Ivorian citizenship per their constitution.
He quoted Article 48 of the Cote d’Ivoire Citizenship Code, part of which says that “anyone shall lose his or her citizenship, in case that person voluntarily acquires a foreign citizenship, or if the person declares that he/she recognises such a citizenship.”
Ruling on the case on November 21, the court presided over by Justice Dr Richmond Osei Hwere dismissed the petition.
Following the court verdict, MP for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa took to his social media pages to congratulate his fellow National Democratic Congress colleague in Parliament.
“Congratulations to Jomoro MP, the NDC’s Hon. Dorcas Toffey for her victory in the NPP’s election petition against her as determined in a Takoradi High Court this morning
“The overwhelming verdict of the Jomoro people has been protected & the NDC Caucus in Parliament remains intact”, he posted.
The Parliamentary seat for Assin North is facing a similar contention.
Its elected NDC MP, James Gyakye Quayson has been suspended from holding himself out as an MP.
He is facing five counts of forgery of passport or travel certificate, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury and false declaration for office.
It is alleged that he made a false statement to the Passport Office to the effect that he did not hold a passport to another country while applying for a Ghanaian Passport.
He is also said to have falsely declared to the Electoral Commission (EC) that he did not owe allegiance to any foreign country when he filed to contest as a candidate for the Assin North seat.
He, however, denies the allegations.
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
