Charlotte Osei must go; her stay in office a threat to peace – Akpaloo

Disqualified presidential candidate of the Independent People’s Party (IPP), is calling on President John Dramani Mahama to prevail upon the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana, Charlotte Osei to resign.

He believes the EC boss is not competent to manage such a very sensitive and high office of the land.

According to him, if Madam Charlotte Osei is not prevailed upon to resign her position, she will plunge the country into chaos.

“The EC work is bigger than Charlotte Osei. She cannot do the work. She is always in a hurry to execute her given task. She is not using the law that regulates the elections properly and this clearly shows that she is incompetent. Mahama must ask her to resign,” he noted.

Mr. Akpaloo made this observation in an interaction with Fiifi Banson on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM on Monday.

His comment was in response to his disqualification from the December 7 Presidential Elections.

Mr. Akpaloo was disqualified from the Presidential race after the number of subscribers to his nomination forms did failed to meet the requirements of Regulation 7(2) (b) of C.I. 94.

Madam Charlotte Osei who announced his disqualification at news conference said “Three subscribers supported the nomination of another candidate in breach of Regulation 7 (4) of CI 94. Again, the cross subscribers have different signatures on the nomination forms raising questions as to the legitimacy of these signatures.”

These are: Alfred Yevuglo (page 35) with Voter ID no: 1270013632 of Polling station code: D091201; Dagadu Raymond (page 35) with Voter ID no: 1270012857 of Polling station code: D091201; and Adu Thomas (page 67) with Voter ID no: 3703013114 of Polling station code: F310202.

“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),” she said.

But Mr. Akpaloo commenting further said the EC boss rushed in pronouncing him and twelve others disqualified when the same C.I. 94, Regulation 9 demands that she gives the candidates the opportunity “to make amendments or any alteration necessary, within the nominated period.”

Regulation 9(1) of C.I. 94 states that “Wherever the nomination paper and the statutory declaration of a candidate are delivered and the deposit is paid in accordance with these Regulations, the candidate shall be considered to stand nominated, unless proof is given to the satisfaction of the returning officer of the candidate’s death, withdrawal or disqualification.

(2) The returning officer shall inform a candidate that the candidate’s nomination is invalid where (a) the particulars of the candidate or the persons subscribing to the nomination paper are not required by law; or (b) the nomination paper is not subscribed to s required by law, and shall give the candidate an opportunity to make amendments or nay alteration necessary, within the stipulated nominated period.”

According to Mr. Akpaloo “none of us was called to rectify any anomaly detected on the form. What was she thinking? She thinks that we are kids and so can play with us? All the presidential candidates are older than her and so she can’t play with us. She can’t take anybody for granted.”

He added “She should resign. She can’t do this job. Because this woman, I am not predicting doom, if allowed to stay in office will announce election results that will plunge this country in chaos because she is always in a hurry and doesn’t take any advice. She thinks she knows more than anyone.”

He said President Mahama, could in the interim because of the short period to the general elections, engage somebody to in Charlotte Osei’s position and appoint a substantive officer to manage the office after the elections.