The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Savannah Regional Appeals Committee has upheld an appeal filed by Regional Youth Organiser aspirant Yakubu Yussif, resulting in the disqualification of his main contender, Adam Mohammed Mansuru, from the race for Regional Youth Organiser.
In a comprehensive report released on 26th July 2026, the three-member Appeals Committee unanimously ruled that Mr. Mansuru was constitutionally ineligible to contest the position because he had attained the age of 40 years, contrary to the provisions of the NPP Constitution governing the Party’s Youth Wing.
Mr. Yakubu Yussif had challenged the Savannah Regional Elections Committee’s decision to declare Mr. Mansuru eligible despite evidence indicating that his official date of birth was 7th June 1986. According to Article 15(2)(1) of the NPP Constitution, a youth is defined as a party member who has not attained the age of 40 years, making anyone aged 40 or above ineligible to contest for offices within the National Youth Wing.
The appellant argued that Mr. Mansuru’s Ghana Card and Ghanaian Passport both confirmed his date of birth as 7th June 1986, meaning he had turned 40 before the regional executive elections. He further contended that the Regional Elections Committee erred by refusing to address the constitutional issue and instead dismissed his petition on procedural grounds.
After assuming jurisdiction over the appeal, the Appeals Committee first attempted to resolve the dispute through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the interest of party unity. However, those efforts proved unsuccessful, prompting the committee to determine the matter on its merits.
In its findings, the committee ruled that the constitutional provisions establishing the Party’s Youth Wing clearly restrict leadership positions within the wing to members who are below the age of 40. It held that these special constitutional provisions override general provisions relating to members’ rights to contest party positions.
The committee also examined evidence from the Savannah Regional Elections Committee, where five members and the committee secretary maintained that they had unanimously resolved to disqualify Mr. Mansuru during the vetting process. According to the Appeals Committee, the subsequent communication declaring him eligible was issued solely by the chairman without the approval of the rest of the committee, rendering the letter invalid.
Further investigations revealed discrepancies in Mr. Mansuru’s application documents. While his Ghana Card and passport bore 7th June 1986 as his date of birth, his application forms and electronic registration initially carried 7th October 1986. The Appeals Committee concluded that the altered date enabled him to bypass the electronic age restrictions imposed by the party’s nomination system.
The committee found that Mr. Mansuru admitted during the hearing that his correct date of birth was 7th June 1986 and acknowledged that the incorrect date had been entered by another person on his behalf. However, the committee ruled that the evidence overwhelmingly established that he had exceeded the constitutional age limit.
Consequently, the Appeals Committee upheld all four grounds of appeal raised by Mr. Yakubu Yussif and granted his key reliefs, including declaring Mr. Mansuru constitutionally ineligible, ordering his disqualification from the contest, and directing the removal of his name from the list of qualified aspirants.
The Appeals Committee further declared that the earlier communication clearing Mr. Mansuru to contest was null and void because it did not reflect the collective decision of the Savannah Regional Elections Committee.
The unanimous decision was signed by Hon. Rev. James Kipo Sunyehzi, Hon. Saeed Muazu Jibril, and Abdul-Latif Bavug, Esq., bringing the protracted eligibility dispute to a close ahead of the Savannah Regional Executive Elections.
Source: Padfm.com.gh/Kumatey Gorden/0243531604
