GCPP files injunction suit against EC

The Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) has filed an injunction suit against the Electoral Commission seeking to stop the election management body from conducting a balloting exercise for positions on the presidential ballot paper.

Led by disqualified presidential nominee Dr Henry Herbert Lartey, the party said it would use every legal means possible to ensure that it is included in the presidential polls.

Apart from Dr Lartey, 12 other aspirants were disqualified by the EC. They include the flag bearer of the All People's Congress (APC), Hassan Ayariga; Dr Edward Mahama of the People's National Convention (PNC); Dr Agyenim Boateng of the United Front Party (UFP); Kofi Akpaloo of the Independent People's Party (IPP); Kwabena Adjei of the Reformed Patriotic Democrats (RPD); and Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP).

Others include: Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP); Mr Richard Nixon Tetteh (United Development Systems Party); Thomas Ward-Brew of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP); Alfred Kwame Asiedu Walker, an independent candidate, and Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP). They were disqualified over clerical and administrative errors as well as for forgery and perjury.

Those who qualified include Mr Akufo-Addo, John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ivor Greenstreet of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), and Jacob Osei Yeboah, an independent candidate.

At a press conference last week, Dr Henry Lartey’s lawyer, Mr Maurice Ampaw accused the Chairperson of the EC, Mrs Charlotte Osei of “behaving like a teacher who has set exams and you have 17 students and 13 are failing and then you are happy”, adding: “So when they brought the form, you [EC] saw it [the errors], you kept quiet, you allowed time to run and you knew that you could bring this thing to their attention within the subsequent period.

“What will the nation benefit from disqualifying those who have proven beyond reasonable doubt that they are capable of running the affairs of this nation? … We are telling you that your posture cannot help this country.”