A concerned member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Ampem Antwi Bawua, has petitioned the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to restrain Chief of Agric Nzema, Nana Nkansah Boadu Ayeboafo, from voting in the upcoming ‘Super Delegates elections’ scheduled for August 26, this year.
Although Chiefs are not supposed to be involved in party politics, Nana Nkansah Boadu Ayeboafo is alleged to be a member of the NPP.
He also serves as the Ashanti Regional representative on the National Council for the party through which he has been appointed as a delegate for the Super Delegates Congress.
In the petition Nana Antwi Bawua explained that on the basis of the provisions of Article 276 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 26 of the Political Parties Act 574 of 2000 Nkansah Boadu Ayeboafo cannot hold himself as a delegate.
According to him, Article 276 of the Constitution provides that “a chief shall not take part in active party politics,” while Section 26 of Act 574 prevents a chief from taking any form of leadership role in a political party.
Against these backgrounds, Nana Ampem Antwi Bawua has emphasized that Nana Nkansah Boadu Ayeboafo’s planned participation in Saturday’s elections was a clear violation of the laws of the land.
He explained that though the election is internal for the governing NPP which will be conducted by the Electoral Commission of Ghana, AgricNzemahene participation is contravention of the laws and goes to undermine the sanctity of the chieftaincy institution.
It is in light of these concerns raised that Nana Ampem Antwi Bawua is seeking the intervention of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to restrain Agric-Nzemahene from participating.
He hope that Otumfuo would swiftly act to restrain his sub-chief from voting as a delegate, because Nana Nkansah Boadu Ayeboafo was a duly nominated, selected, and enstooled Chief who had sworn the oath of allegiance to the Golden Stool of the great Ashanti Kingdom.