Electoral Commission issues ACUP provisional certificate to form political party
The African Continental Unity Party (ACUP), a Pan-African global movement, has secured a provisional certificate from the Electoral Commission (EC) to form a political party capable of contesting elections in future.
Dr Serebour Quaicoe, the Director of Electoral Services at the EC, presented the provisional certificate to the leadership of the ACUP Ghana at a brief ceremony at the EC office in Accra on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
The ACUP, which has for its slogan “The Emerging Force,” is part of a global movement of Africans interested in building a new system of governance that reflected the ideals and principles of Africans and creating prosperity for the African people.
The collection of the provisional certificate, which is in accordance with Section 8 (2) of the Political Parties Act, 2000 (ACT 574), meant that the group has been granted permission to mobilise into a political party in compliance with the country’s electoral laws.
Speaking to journalists after the presentation, Christiana A. Agyare, the Interim National Women’s Organiser, ACUP, said the Party was not an “Nkrumahist Party” but shared in the ideals and prospects of great Pan-Africanists including Marcus Garvey, Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, and Thomas Sankara.
She said the dream to achieve the total liberation of Africans was relevant today and indicated that the Party intended to mobilise Africans, including those in the diaspora to champion a positive transformation of the lives and welfare of the people.
“The Party stemmed from the need of the African in the diaspora, the zeal to make things better for their families here…We want to be a full-fledged political party and after that move on to African nations.
“The idea of politics is an idea of service. It should not be a thing of privilege for a few selected people. We want to change that discourse,” Madam Agyare said.
She said the ACUP had commenced processes to set up its district and regional offices among other key requirements in conformity with the law governing political parties.
Dr Quaicoe urged the leadership of the ACUP to take note that the provisional certificate “is not a final certificate” and thus must refrain from campaigning for votes as a political party.
He said the Party must put necessary measures in place, including identifying their founding members, set up district, regional, and national offices, and submit their audited accounts annually if their application was approved.
Source: GNA