Manasseh Azure Awuni, an award-winning investigative journalist, has questioned the timing of the district magistrate court in Agona Swedru’s injunction order restraining Agona West MP, Hon. Cynthia Mamle Morrison from contesting as an independent candidate in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Manasseh, in expressing concerns over the court decision, argued that even if the substantial case against the current MP is determined before the election, she will have lost days, weeks, or months of campaigning because of the order.
“This court order by the magistrate says she should not hold herself as a parliamentary candidate until the case is ‘fully determined’. The 2024 election is less than two months away, and the case may be determined after the election.
“Even if it’s determined before the election, Cynthia Morrison will have lost days, weeks or months of campaigning because of this order”.
Manasseh Azure Awuni, Award-Winning Investigative Journalist
He questioned the legal rationale behind the court’s decision, highlighting that Ghana’s political history has often seen election disputes resolved after the fact, rather than through pre-emptive injunctions.
“Why doesn’t the court allow the ‘VAR system’ of justice in this case, which is typical of candidates contesting elections in Ghana?” he asked.
He further argued that if the offence alleged against Hon. Morrison is deemed serious enough to disqualify her, the courts could still nullify her election post-facto, as has happened in previous cases involving candidates.
“If she’s stopped from contesting the election and she wins the case, can the court reverse the damage?” Manasseh pondered.
Implications of Court’s Ruling
The journalist’s concern underscored a broader apprehension about the potential long-term impact of such a ruling on the electoral process, particularly for incumbents or high-profile candidates like Hon. Morrison.
The implications of this court order according to Manasseh Azure Awuni extend beyond Hon. Cynthia Morrison’s personal political ambitions.
Manasseh warned that this decision could set a dangerous precedent, opening “the floodgates for anybody to file an injunction on winnable candidates a few months before an election just to change the will of the people.”
He noted that with the electoral calendar already tight, any legal delays or injunctions against candidates could fundamentally alter the playing field, undermining the democratic process.
Manasseh pointed out that Hon. Morrison, who served as a minister in President Akufo-Addo’s government, remains the sitting Member of Parliament for Agona West Constituency.
He argued that her decision to run as an independent candidate followed claims of orchestrated efforts by some within the ruling NPP to block her from contesting in the party’s primaries.
Manasseh claimed that despite Hon. Morrison’s long-standing loyalty to the NPP, she claims that the party’s internal politics had become untenable, forcing her to take the independent route to defend her seat.
This ongoing legal battle according to Manasseh could significantly affect not only Hon. Morrison’s political future but also the wider dynamics of the upcoming election in Agona West Constituency.
Manasseh strongly posited that if the court’s ruling is upheld and Hon. Morrison is kept off the ballot, it would leave voters with limited options, potentially swaying the outcome in favour of the NPP’s preferred candidate.
Such a scenario, according to Manasseh raises troubling questions about the integrity of the election process and the role of the judiciary in determining electoral outcomes.
“This does not look good for our democracy,” Manasseh concluded, particularly given Hon. Morrison’s accusations of internal sabotage within the ruling party.
Earlier this week, a district magistrate court in Agona Swedru issued an injunction restraining Hon. Cynthia Mamle Morrison, a former Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, from holding herself as an independent parliamentary candidate for the Agona West Constituency in the Central Region.
Hon. Morrison, who won the seat on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ticket in 2016 and 2020, decided to run independently after alleging that her party unfairly manipulated the internal primaries to her detriment.
The court order comes at a critical time, with the 2024 general elections less than two months away. The ruling prevents Hon. Morrison from campaigning or presenting herself as a candidate until the case is fully determined.
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