Ghanaian musician Maradona Yeboah Adjei, popularly known as Guru, is challenging his disqualification from the 2024 University of Ghana Students’ Representative Council (UGSRC) elections.
On August 16, 2024, the UGSRC Electoral Commission disqualified Guru, citing his non-residency status as a breach of the constitutional requirements outlined in Article 4(d)(ii) of the Constitutional Instrument (CI 24).
According to the EC, this provision invalidates a candidate’s eligibility to contest if he or she fails to meet the criteria.
In response, Guru has filed a petition with the UGSRC Judicial Board, seeking an interim injunction to halt the upcoming elections scheduled for August 26, 2024 until the matter is resolved.
The petition calls into question the fairness and constitutionality of disqualifying non-resident students from contesting in the SRC elections, especially when the decisions made by the SRC impact the entire student body.
“TAKE NOTICE that Council for and on behalf of the Plaintiff/Applicant herein praying for an order for interim injunction to restrain the Defendant/Respondent, their agents, servants, and any persons whatsoever authorized by them from going ahead to proceed with the election pending the final determination of this suit,” part of his petition said.
He argued that the UGSRC’s Electoral Commission has no mandate to interpret and enforce the constitutional provisions, hence their decision is unconstitutional.
His petition makes a point that the interpretation and enforcement of the constitutional provision falls under the jurisdiction of the Judicial board and not the EC.
#UGDecides: Maradona Adjei Yeboah @gurunkz has filed a petition with the UGSRC Judicial Board, seeking an interim injunction from the court over his disqualification from the presidential election race due to his non-resident status.#UniversNews #UniversAt30 pic.twitter.com/pq6ir97t05
— Radio Univers 105.7FM (@univers1057fm) August 19, 2024
