We objected to election of Mr Blay — CPP

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has said it has not nullified the Ellembele Constituency primary of the party held on August 23, 2008 which elected Mr Freddie Blay, the incumbent MP to contest this year’s election.
According to the party, what it did was to object to the election of Mr Blay as the party’s parliamentary aspirant for the constituency and referred the matter to the constituency executive committee through the regional steering committee for a review as per the CPP constitution.
Mr Freddie Blay sued the CPP and some of its leading members at the Accra Fast Track High Court, seeking a declaration that the primary held to elect him as the CPP’s parliamentary aspirant was proper, valid and in compliance with the party’s constitution.
In an affidavit in opposition to Mr Blay’s suit, the defendants said the correct position of the party was contained in a press release signed by the CPP General Secretary, Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet.
According to the affidavit, the press release expressed the consequence of the Central Committee’s decision to object to the election of Mr Blay as the party’s parliamentary aspirant for the 2008 election.
According to the affidavit, what that meant was that if Mr Blay failed to regularise his position with the Central Committee, then there would be the need for the Ellembele Constituency to hold a fresh election in order to elect another candidate, thereby rendering the initial primary null and void.
It said that all the written invitations sent to Mr Blay only invited him to attend a meeting concerning his presence at a New Patriotic Party (NPP) rally at Ainyinase on April 30, 2008.
“The invitation never stated that any charge had been preferred against Mr Blay; neither did the CPP say that Mr Blay had breached any provisions of the party’s constitution”, the affidavit stated.
It said in a letter purporting to request for a statement of his charge, Mr Blay was out of place as he showed gross disrespect to and contempt for the CPP, a political party on whose ticket he was asking for endorsement to stand as a parliamentary candidate for the 2008 election.
The affidavit was deposed by Mr Greenstreet on behalf of the CPP, Mr Ladi Nylander, Dr Abu Sakara, Mr Mike Eghan, Mr Kosi Dedey and Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, the other respondents to the suit.