The Electoral Commission (EC) today [Monday], disqualified as many as thirteen presidential aspirants from contesting in the 2016 elections.
The disqualified aspirants include Hassan Ayariga’s All People’s Congress (APC), the People’s National Convention’s (PNC) Dr. Edward Mahama, the Progressive People’s Party’s (PPP) Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, and other presidential aspirants from contesting in the December elections.
The EC Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, who made the announcement at a news conference, said those disqualified failed to meet the necessary requirements, hence their ineligibility to contest.
Find below the different reasons for which each of the aspirants were disqualified.
RECEIPT OF NOMINATIONS FOR 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
Key criteria for presidential candidates
Forms must be signed by candidate
Forms must be signed by two registered voters in every district (432 valid endorsements required)
One voter cannot endorse more than one presidential candidate
Vice President nominee must be named and must meet constitutional requirements for the office of Vice President
Properly filled forms must be delivered to the Returning officer on or before the date appointed for receipt of nominations
Forms should be submitted in quadruplicates
Forms should include properly attested statutory declarations stating that candidate has provided accurate details to the Commission, has met all the requirements and is qualified for the office of President.
4 pictures in accordance with dimensions and specifications in the law
Payment of filing fees as determined by the Commission.
The Commission may disqualify a candidate if one of these requirements is not met. For instance:
The nomination form is not properly signed by the candidate;
The statutory declaration is not properly executed;
Filing fees not presented in requested mode or amount;
Less than two registered voters per district sign the nomination forms;
The nomination forms are not properly signed by all the subscribing voters;
The candidate or the designated vice president nominee does not meet the legal requirements of the nominated office.
Prior to the close of nominations on the 29th and 30th September, candidates whose nomination forms had obvious errors and who submitted early enough, were called by the officers of the Commission and given the opportunity to correct obvious errors or omissions on their nomination forms. The Law permits such corrections only within the nomination period hence our earlier call on candidates to submit as early as possible.
Following the receipt of nomination forms last week, and the payment of filing fees earlier today, the EC is now in a position to announce candidates whose nominations have been accepted by the Electoral Commission having met the afore stated requirements.
Hassan Ayariga – All Peoples’ Congress (APC)
The Commission is unable to accept Dr. Ayariga’s nomination for the following reason:
The candidate did not provide evidence on his statutory declaration as to his hometown or residence in the constituency as per the legal requirements.
Two subscribers to Dr. Ayariga’s nominations also subscribed for another presidential candidate. This is in breach of Regulation 7(4) of CI 94. The implication is that the two subscribers are disqualified and therefore, Dr. Ayariga does not have the requisite number of subscribers under Regulation 7(2) (b) of CI 94. The details of the duplicate subscribers are as follows:
Abaako Issifu (page 103)
Voter ID number 2988006876
PS code: J110202
Abudu Ayuba (page 95)
Voter ID number 6303005554
PS code: H200201
In addition, the signatures of both voters are different on the two nomination forms. This raises questions as to the legitimacy of those signatures.
We will refer the matter of the possible forgeries of these signatures to the Ghana Police Service and the Attorney General for investigation and prosecution in line with the following sections of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29):
Section
