#Gangof13 can’t blame EC - Jantuah

The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana could have pardoned the flag bearers disqualified from the December 7 polls if the offences were just clerical, but not when there were fraudulent entries on their forms, Kwame Jantuah, a member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), has said.

According to him, the endorsement of a flag bearer by a subscriber in more than one constituency amounted to fraud, for which the EC could not have called the flag bearers to amend.

His comments follow claims by the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) that the EC’s disqualification reflects an institution which is biased and spiteful.

Addressing a press conference on Monday October 9 in Accra, Mrs Charlotte Osei, Chair of the EC said there were issues of forgery, perjury, impersonation, and deceit of public officer on the nomination forms of the disqualified flag bearers including that of Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom of the PPP, and added that the matter would be referred to the Ghana Police Service and the Attorney General for investigations and prosecution.

The other disqualified aspirants are Mr Hassan Ayariga of the APC, Dr Edward Mahama of the PNC, and Mr Kofi Apaloo of the IPP. The rest include Mr T.N. Ward Brew of the DPP, Mr Henry Lartey of the GCPP, Richard Tetteh of the USDP, Akua Donkor of the GFP, Nana Agyenim Boateng of the UFP and Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings of the NDP. The remaining aspirants are Kwabena Agyei of the RPD and Kwame Asiedu Walker, an independent candidate. Only four presidential aspirants were cleared by the EC to contest in the presidential category.

The PPP on Thursday October 13 filed a motion for an order for judicial review in the nature of a certiorari and probation against the EC’s decision.

According to the motion, the applicant is seeking the court to “restrain the respondents from proceeding with balloting for a position of presidential candidates for the 7th December, 2016”.

But speaking on TV3’s New Day programme on Saturday October 15, Mr Jantuah said: “…When it comes to the signing [of] those parts of the nomination papers that are enshrined in law, it is not up to the Electoral Commission to tell you that the person who signed your nomination form has also signed it in another region because it is enshrined in law and the Electoral Commission will see it as fraudulent, it is not their responsibility to do that.”

“The onus is on the person who has brought his form in to make sure that attention to detail [is paid] to that form [and] everything has been covered.”