Sam Pee Yalley, a former Ghanaian Ambassador to India, has wished Kenneth Kuranchie luck in his legal battle to deny John Dramani Mahama the right to run for President once more.
According to the former CEO of the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA), Mr. Kuranchie should devote his time on covering the oil industry’s waste, notably with how funds are being siphoned off, rather than John Dramani Mahama running for office in 2024.
He issued a warning, saying that the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which overwhelmingly chose John Dramani Mahama in the May 13 primary elections, had a responsibility to defend him using all legal means.
“I wish [Ken Kuranchie] well in court but he should know that over 6 million people voted for John Mahama, almost equal to President Akufo-Addo, the difference about 500,000. So, NDC is not a party anybody should toy with…That is the point I want to establish.
“The NDC went to congress recently and overwhelmingly elected John Mahama. We have a duty to protect our leader by any means legal.”
Sam Pee Yalley
On Wednesday, June 14, Ambassador Sam Pee Yalley expressed these ideas in response to the lawsuit brought by the Managing Editor of the Daily Searchlight newspaper.
In order to determine whether Mr. Mahama is qualified to run for President again after serving a first term, Attorney Ken Kuranchie has filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court.
The reliefs he is seeking include, “A declaration that on a true and proper interpretation of Article 66 (1) of the 1992 Constitution, the number of years of a presidential term in Ghana is four years.”
“A declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of Article 66 (1) and (2) of the 1992 Constitution, a person seeking a second presidential term must be a sitting president. An order directed at [John Mahama] to fully disclose to Parliament the terms of his engagements with Parliament as flagbearer of a political party.”
Kenneth Kwabena Agyei Kuranchie
Mahama Has Not Yet Received Any Suits Barring His Candidacy
According to Abraham Amaliba, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) legal team, Former President John Dramani Mahama has not been the target of any lawsuits challenging his candidacy for the 2024 elections.
The former President, who was recently chosen by the NDC to be its candidate for the 2024 presidential elections, was allegedly sued over his ability to run in the ensuing election, according to court documents that were leaked on social media. In his lawsuit, Kenneth Kwabena Agyei Kuranchie is asking Ghana’s Supreme Court to rule that the former President is unable to run for the office of President or a flagbearer of a political party in the future.
Lawyer Amaliba responded by saying that the lawsuit is “much ado about nothing.” He claims that the lawsuit is merely an attempt to distract Ghanaians from the country’s current economic crisis and this is highly supported by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
“The former President has not been served and once serving is personal, they would have to take steps to serve him. What I can tell you is that absolutely nothing can stop the former president from contesting in the 2024 elections.
“This whole suit is a diversionary tactic. There is nowhere in the constitution that says that the former president cannot stand. I see this suit as legal gymnastics, I see this suit as a legal somersault… to stop the former president from contesting but nothing stops him from contesting.”
Abraham Amaliba
He emphasized that the NDC and the former President were unconcerned about the lawsuit and were instead concentrating on winning the impending by-election in Assin North.
READ ALSO: Lawsuit Against Mahama Is Dismissed Upon Arrival– Legal Practitioner
