EC has disqualified five Presidential Candidates from contesting the December polls
At least five Presidential Candidates have been disqualified from the 17 candidates who filed for nominations to contest for the 2020 General Elections.
This implies that 12 presidential candidates have been cleared by the Electoral Commission (EC) to contest for the December 7 polls.
The five disqualified candidates include two independent presidential nominees; Kofi Koranteng and Marricke Kofi Gane, and three political party-sponsored nominees; Akwasi Addae Odike of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Kwasi Busumbru of the People’s Action Party (PAP), and Nana Agyenim Boateng of the United Front Party (UFP).
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The 12 candidates who were cleared include Alfred Kwame Asiedu Walker, an independent candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
Christian Kwabena Andrews of the Ghana Union Movement (GUM).
Others include Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, National Democratic Party (NDP), Brigitte Akosua Dzogbenuku of Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Akua Donkor of Ghana Freedom Party (GFP),
Hassan Ayariga of All People’s Convention (APC).
The rest include Ivor Kobina Greenstreet from Convention People’s Party (CPP)
Henry Herbert Lartey from Ghana Convention People’s Party (GCPP),
Percival Kofi Akpaloo from Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) and David Asibi Ayindenaba Apasera from People’s National Convention (PNC).
The Chairperson of EC, Jean Mensa announced this in Accra on Monday at the Electoral Commission’s forum dubbed “Let the People Know Forum.”
She indicated that the Commission remains committed to conducting free, fair, credible, transparent and peaceful election and entreated the citizens to disregard any allegations of rigging and assertions of a flawed electoral process as insinuated by some political contenders.
“The transparency of our processes should give confidence to the citizenry that the Electoral Commission cannot rig an election. For the benefit of those who are not informed about our processes, every aspect of our Electoral process is monitored by the Political Parties. Right from Registration to the Election Day our Political Parties and police monitor all our processes,” Ms Mensa added.
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Summarising the processes, she said the Commission gazette registration, exhibition and voting centres while voting is done in open spaces with political party agents monitoring the process to ensure the counting of the ballot papers is carried out in a fair manner.
“Results are then documented on pink sheets and signed by Party agents posted at Polling Stations. It is after all this that the pink sheets are then sent to the Commission.”
“At the National Collation Centre, we also have Party agents who inspect the signed pink sheets that come in before they are certified by the Electoral Commission.
Can someone tell us at which point of the transparent process, the Electoral Commission can rig the election?” Ms Mensa quizzes.
She called on all Political Parties and stakeholders who had genuine concerns to raise them in the full glare of the public for them to address the weaknesses and gaps in the process outlined.
“Until then we entreat the naysayers to cease their onslaught of trying to discredit a thorough and credible electoral process and a Commission which has been open and transparent in all its dealings. If for nothing at all, the current Commission has opened up all its processes to the public and removed the cloaks of secrecy that shrouded its activities and operations. We have laid bare our processes for all to see,” Ms Mensa added.
She noted that challenges encountered during the Exhibition Exercise were discussed openly by the Commission, solved in a timely manner and reported upon promptly, thus should not be an excused for some political individuals to undermine the electoral process.
Ms Mensa urged the citizenry to work closely with the commission to strengthen and uphold the integrity of the systems and the Commission as a whole.
Source: www.spotonnews.net