The Student Representative Council (SRC) elections at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) have been suspended due to an injunction filed by presidential hopeful Bismark Abusa.
The injunction, served on the GIMPA SRC and the Electoral Commission, follows the disqualification of Abusa’s running mate, Sergio Thompson, by the Electoral Commission. Two out of the three presidential candidates originally slated to contest in the election, which was scheduled for Wednesday, April 24, were disqualified, citing alleged violations of the SRC Constitution.
In a statement to Citi News on Thursday, April 24, Shiraz Ibn Ziyaad, spokesperson for Bismark Abusa, accused the Electoral Commission of overstepping its authority. He explained that the legal action seeks to compel the court to halt the electoral process until the matter is fully resolved.
“We felt there are substantive issues to be decided by the court, either the Judicial Council or a court of competent jurisdiction. My client’s running mate was disqualified because he held an executive position and did not resign before the election,” he stated.
Ziyaad emphasized that the term “executive position” as used in the SRC Constitution requires interpretation by the Judicial Council. He noted that with the election scheduled for that day, it would not be possible for the Judicial Council to adequately determine its meaning.
“Our injunction application is simply to maintain the status quo, to stay the proceedings and get the court to determine whether the elections can proceed. Otherwise, proceeding with the election without clarification could lead to further complications,” he added.
In response to the situation, GIMPA management has assured students that it will address the recent developments in due course.
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