A Madina District Magistrate Court has granted an order restraining Paa-Quecy Adu, the beleaguered President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) from holding himself as president of the student’s body.
The court presided over by Richard D. Anku in its ruling held that Adu must also step aside until a case challenging his eligibility was resolved.
It further ordered that the defendant should not hold or transact any business in the name of NUGS until the final determination on the matter.
The plaintiffs-Ferdinand Boakye Boateng and Paul Kwasi Gyan both executives of the union dragged Adu to court after the union’s judicial committee had overturned a verdict that barred Adu from contesting as president of the students group.
This was after Adu who had contested for the NUGS presidency on several occasions was disqualified because per the constitution, of the Union, any person vying for such a position must be a full-time student; a move he had fiercely contended.
He was disqualified again this year for the same reason but the union’s judicial committee overturned the verdict paving the way for Adu to be elected as NUGS President.
However, the trial judge ruled in favour of the applicants.
He said “It is hereby ordered that the defendant whether by himself, his agents, assigns, privies and any other person claiming by or through him hereby restrain from describing or holding himself as or acting conveying any meeting in the name of the plaintiffs or transacting any or purporting to act as a National Executive Member of NUGS and from in any manner interfering with the said National Executive Members of NUGS including the convening of meetings and/or transacting any business in the name and under the authority of the plaintiff/applicant pending the final hearing and determination of this suit or until otherwise ordered.”
The group in a statement issued on Monday said the move had been necessitated by what they described as Adu’s “uncouth and crude methods to hold on to power.”
According to the statement signed by Thomas Takyi-Bonsu and Ferdinand Boakye Boateng, the Press and Information Secretary and Acting NUGS President respectively, the effect of the order was to preserve the interest of Ghanaian students.
It warned “As a strong case had been made by the applicant, Ferdinad Boakye for the interest of students, which has been upheld by the court, the inescapable conclusion would also be that, any person who associates with the suspended president to purport to act for NUGS would be cited for contempt”.
Meanwhile, the embattled NUGS President was quoted by Citifm online as having said that he had not been served with any court notice and hence could not step aside.
“I have not been served any injunction, I only saw on WhatsApp people circulating messages that I have been asked to step aside.”