NDC To Change Upper West Akim MP Over �Dual Citizenship�?

Barring any last minute alterations, the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) will this week take a firm decision on whether the party has to present Joseph Sam Amankwanor as its Parliamentary Candidate for the Upper West Akim Constituency of the Eastern Region considering controversy surrounding his nationality.

Mr. Sam Amankwanor who is the incumbent MP, is said to aside Ghana owe allegiance to the United States of America thereby making him a dual citizen which bars him from becoming a Member of Parliament.

“If it is proven that he has a dual-citizenship, we will tell him to step aside because we do not want the NPP to sue him at the law Court and deprive us from having a representation in that Constituency”, a party source told this paper.

It would be recalled that in 2012, an NPP MP for Bawku Central, Adamu Sakande, was ordered to vacate his seat and jailed after a cattle farmer, sued him for holding dual citizenship, forgery of passport and for deceiving public officers to be elected as MP.

Late last year, some twenty-three (23) members of the NDC in the Upper West Akim constituency petitioned the party over allegations that the party’s incumbent MP, Joseph Sam Amankwanor, held a dual citizenship.

The constituency members and branch executives, through their lawyers, served notice they may be forced to settle the matter in court, if the party does not take steps to investigate it and get the MP to revoke his position before the polls in November.

According to them, they had picked up information that the opposition NPP in the constituency, was waiting for an opportune time to contest the MP’s eligibility, a situation that could cripple the party in the 2016 elections, hence the need for an urgent intervention to settle the matter. “Our clients inform us that since the MP was introduced to contest the 2008 parliamentary elections by the party, rumours have been making the rounds in and out of the constituency touching on his eligibility to hold office due to his dual nationality, both of our Republic and of the United States of America”.

“Our clients further inform us that the party’s lack of urgency in tackling the rumours by investigating and resolving them has left the fortunes of the party in the Constituency badly adrift, and led to the crystallization of these rumours into real and veritable truth.”

In the letter addressed to the General Secretary of the NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia, and copied to the Eastern Regional NDC Chairman, the Constituency Chairman and the office of the MP, the petitioners said, rumors about the MP being a citizen of the United States and Ghana, has gained grounds with some veritable facts emerging. They are asking the party to get the MP to revoke his position so they can field a new eligible person ahead of the elections.

“As party members at the grassroots, our clients have had several encounters and interactions with party supporters that have been humbling and instructive. Our clients say to us that, party members spanning the length and breadth of the constituency want a great champion with great qualities, who can put up an impressive showing at the national parliamentary elections and steer the party through some of its brightest days in the constituency”.

“As you may be aware, the 1992 Constitution; as well as the Constitution of the NDC prohibits dual citizens from occupying the office of a Member of Parliament. It is our clients’ request that the party sets in motion a process of determining the true nationality status of the MP and put this seemingly innocuous, long-neglected, but potentially damaging matter to final rest and firm resolution.”

“It is quiet strange that the party has not acted all this time. It is very worrying that is why we want to settle it this week before the petitioners go to court” the source added.