The Patriotic Youth of the Savannah Region have announced plans to seek judicial intervention over the eligibility of an aspirant in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Savannah Regional Youth Organizer election, arguing that the National Steering Committee’s decision to clear the candidate to contest contravenes the party’s constitution.
At a press conference held on Wednesday, August 5, the group said it remained committed to the NPP and its constitutional principles but believed the matter had reached a stage where only the courts could provide a definitive interpretation of the party’s constitution.
According to the group, the dispute began during the vetting process when concerns were raised over the eligibility of Regional Youth Organizer aspirant Adam Mohammed Mansuru.
They explained that Article 15(2)(1) of the NPP Constitution defines a youth as “a member who has not attained the age of forty (40) years,” making the central issue whether a person who has reached the age of 40 remains qualified to contest for the office of Regional Youth Organizer.
The group stated that the Savannah Regional Elections Committee initially concluded that Mr. Mansuru had exceeded the constitutional age limit and was therefore ineligible to contest.
Although a subsequent communication reportedly cleared him to participate in the election, the group alleged that the Savannah Regional Appeals Committee later found that the communication had been issued unilaterally by the chairman of the Regional Elections Committee and did not constitute the committee’s official decision.
According to the statement, their aspirant subsequently exercised his right under Regulation 7 of the NPP’s Rules and Regulations for Regional Officers’ Elections by appealing to the Savannah Regional Appeals Committee.
The Appeals Committee, the group said, reviewed documentary evidence, including Mr. Mansuru’s Ghana Card and Ghana Passport and unanimously determined that his date of birth is June 7, 1986. Based on that finding, the committee reportedly ruled that he attained the age of 40 on June 7, 2026, and was therefore constitutionally ineligible to contest the Regional Youth Organizer position.
The Patriotic Youth said they were, however, surprised when the National Steering Committee later overturned the Appeals Committee’s decision and cleared Mr. Mansuru to contest, citing Regulation 9 of the Conduct of the 2026 Regional Executive Elections.
The group argued that Regulation 9 relates to appeals procedures and does not determine the constitutional qualifications of an aspirant.
They further questioned whether Mr. Mansuru had first petitioned either the Regional Elections Committee or the Regional Appeals Committee before the matter reached the National Steering Committee, maintaining that the party’s rules prescribe a clear appeals process.
According to the group, the core issue before the Appeals Committee was the interpretation of Article 15(2)(1) of the NPP Constitution, insisting that the constitutional definition of a youth cannot be overridden by subsidiary regulations.
They further contended that the National Steering Committee’s memorandum did not explain how a person who had attained the age of 40 could still satisfy the constitutional requirement that a youth “has not attained the age of forty years.”
The group announced that it has assembled a legal team to file an action at the High Court in Damongo to seek a judicial determination on whether the National Steering Committee’s decision is consistent with the NPP Constitution and the laws of Ghana.
Despite expressing disappointment with the committee’s decision, the Patriotic Youth emphasized their commitment to peace and urged party supporters to remain calm and law-abiding throughout the legal process.
“We will not resort to violence, we will not incite our supporters, and we will not undermine the unity of our party,” the group stated.
The group stressed that the legal action should not be interpreted as an attack on the New Patriotic Party but rather as an effort to uphold the supremacy of the party’s constitution and strengthen internal democracy through the rule of law.
They also expressed confidence in the independence of Ghana’s judiciary and called on all party members to respect the outcome of the judicial process.
Source:nkilgifm.com
