The Sekondi High Court has lifted an injunction that prevented Joana Gyan Cudjoe, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Amenfi Central, from contesting the December polls.
This comes after the court heard an application by the NDC to set aside the injunction on Joana Cudjoe and dismiss her disqualification today.
One of her lead counsels, Edudzie Tamakloe, had urged the court to expedite the hearing of her disqualification.
Mr Tamakloe argued that further delay of the substantive case would disenfranchise Joana Cudjoe from contesting the December 7 parliamentary election.
The presiding judge, His Lordship George K. Gyan-Kontoh, had urged the parties to settle the case out of court.
However, negotiations for an out-of-court resolution did not materialise.
The court, however, lifted the injunction, allowing Joana Gyan Cudjoe to proceed with her candidacy.
Addressing the media after the ruling, she extended appreciation to God and her lawyers for the resolution of the case.
“We thank God for everything that has happened today especially also my new lawyers who came in to rescue me…I thank God and all the NDC members, executives, all the Western region NDC. I must say I am very happy,” she exclaimed.
The controversy surrounds the May 13, 2023, NDC parliamentary primaries, where Madam Gyan Cudjoe won overwhelmingly.
However, dissatisfied individuals filed a lawsuit, securing an interlocutory injunction that temporarily restrained her from holding herself out as the duly elected candidate.
The NDC’s Functional Executive Committee annulled the May 13 elections and conducted fresh primaries on September 8, 2024.
Madam Gyan Cudjoe emerged victorious again, with the EC supervising the process.
The party argued that the September election superseded the May election, rendering the earlier contest irrelevant and reinforcing Madam Gyan Cudjoe’s legitimacy.
Despite the NDC’s arguments, the EC disqualified Madam Gyan Cudjoe as the Amenfi Central parliamentary candidate, citing the interlocutory injunction tied to the annulled May 2023 election.