Constitutional Lawyer, Kwame Adofo has warned chiefs in the country that endorsing a political party is against the laws of Ghana.
According to him, the Chiefs have the right to welcome a political person to their areas but they can’t endorse them.
“The Chiefs should listen that they have the right to welcome the politicians to come and campaign in their area but they can’t endorse them by promising them votes,” he said in an interview with Citizen Kofi Owusu on Ahotor Fm.
Lawyer Adofo’s comments come after the Ankobeahene of the Begoro Stool, Bafour Owiredu Agyarko Minta II, was surmoned to the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council for his endorsement of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama.
The Constitutional Lawyer believes a Chief actively campaigning for a political party is a bleach to the Act. 276 of the 1992 constitution.
The Supreme Court has established that any chief who publicly or covertly urges his subjects to support a specific political party has violated Article 276(1) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana by engaging in “active party politics.”
The verdict was rendered in response to a request from an LLM student requesting that the Apex Court use its original jurisdiction to clarify what is meant by active party politics by a Chief under Article 276 Clause 1.
Lawyer Adofo said until when the law is amended, a chief will not have the right to endorse any political party.
LISTEN TO LAWYER KWAME ADOFO IN THE AUDIO BELOW:
He said the interpretation of Article 276 Clause 1 is not clear and only the writers can explain it as the respect for chiefs could have been the reason behind the law which bans Chiefs from doing active politics.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites) / Ahotoronline.com
