Controller and Accountant-General Dragged to Court over Parliamentary Bid

Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, the Member of Parliament for South Dayi, has sued Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompem, the Controller and Accountant General for remaining at post while running in the next parliamentary primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The plaintiff asserts that the defendant purchased a nomination form for the upcoming NPP parliamentary primaries on December 20, 2023. After submitting the form, the defendant was vetted and approved by the party’s vetting committee, making him eligible to contest.

However, the defendant has not resigned from his position as Controller and Accountant General, despite completing all necessary formalities. The plaintiff argues that civil servants have the right to vote at elections, but they cannot contest or hold political party office while still in the Civil Service or Local Government Service. The Supreme Court has held in CLOSSAG v The Attorney-General and 2 Others that this cannot be the case.

In his writ, the South Dayi Member of Parliament requested that the court deem the Controller and Accountant-General’s decision to retain his position while running for parliamentary office unlawful.

He is also praying for an interlocutory order from the court to stop Mr. Kwaning-Bosompem from holding himself out at the Controller and Accountant General while running for parliament.

“A declaration that the Defendant is a civil servant and therefore cannot contest in the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary primaries while holding office as the Controller and Accountant General.”

“A declaration that the Defendant as a civil servant can only contest in a political party’s parliamentary primaries if that civil servant has resigned from his position as a civil servant.”

“An Order of Interlocutory injunction restraining the Defendant from holding himself out as the Controller and Accountant General while he still maintains his candidacy to contest in the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary primaries to be held on the 27th day of January 2024.”