John Bilson (politician)
Encyclopedia
Dr. John Bilson was a Ghanaian doctor and politician.
In May 1969 he founded the All People's Congress, which despite some support from the Legon Observer
failed to make any impact in the 1969 parliamentary election
. He contested the 1979 presidential elections
as leader of the Third Force Party
: in the first round of voting on 18 June 1979 he came sixth out of ten candidates, with 2.8% of the vote. In 1981, the Third Force Party was one of the opposition parties which tried to merge into the All People's Party, although political parties were soon banned after Jerry Rawlings
's coup at the end of the year.
In 1992, Bilson launched a lawsuit challenging the eligibility of Rawlings to stand for the presidency, on the grounds that he was not a Ghanaian national.
In May 1969 he founded the All People's Congress, which despite some support from the Legon Observer
Legon Observer
The Legon Observer, the journal of the Legon Society for National Affairs , was established in July 1966 as a fortnightly publication. With a base in the political science faculty of the University of Ghana at Legon, it established itself as an important critical voice during the military rule of...
failed to make any impact in the 1969 parliamentary election
Ghanaian parliamentary election, 1969
The Ghanaian parliamentary election was held on 29 August 1969. This was the first parliamentary election since the 1966 coup by the National Liberation Council which toppled the Nkrumah government. The election was to select members for the 140 seat legislative body. Kofi Abrefa Busia, the leader...
. He contested the 1979 presidential elections
Ghanaian presidential election, 1979
Presidential elections were held in Ghana on 18 June 1979 , with a second round on 9 July 1979. The result was a victory for Hilla Limann of the People's National Party, who won 62.0% of the votes in the second round....
as leader of the Third Force Party
Third Force Party
The Third Force Party was a political party in Ghana during the Third Republic .In the 18 June 1979 presidential election, TFP candidate John Bilson won 2.8% of the vote....
: in the first round of voting on 18 June 1979 he came sixth out of ten candidates, with 2.8% of the vote. In 1981, the Third Force Party was one of the opposition parties which tried to merge into the All People's Party, although political parties were soon banned after Jerry Rawlings
Jerry Rawlings
Jerry John Rawlings is a former leader of the Republic of Ghana and now the African Union envoy to Somalia. Rawlings ruled Ghana as a military dictator in 1979 and from 1981 to 1992 and then as the first elected president of the Fourth Republic from 1993 to 2001...
's coup at the end of the year.
In 1992, Bilson launched a lawsuit challenging the eligibility of Rawlings to stand for the presidency, on the grounds that he was not a Ghanaian national.