We aren’t ready to accept any plea – EC

The Electoral Commission(EC) has indicated that it will not accept the plea of any political party disqualified in the 2016 presidential race.

Deputy Communications Director of the EC, Yussif Ayuba said both Presidential and parliamentary candidates had ample time to vet their documents themselves and ensure that all details were in line with the law before proceeding to submit them on the 29th and 30th September deadline.

He said the Election management body(EMB) had no business to deal with corrections after the expiration of the deadline.

“Anything we do, we do it based on law; we don’t just do things the way we want it. You are supposed to present your forms on the 29th and 30th and make sure that every detail that you have provided on the nomination form meets the requirement of law. So if you don’t meet it you don’t turn round and blame the EC for disqualifying you,” Mr Ayuba told Accra-based Citi FM in an interview Monday.

At least 13 of the Presidential hopefuls in the 2016 elections were Monday disqualified by the EMB after the commission okayed just four fit to contest the race.

Those whose nominations have been accepted include President John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Nana Akufo-Addo of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Ivor Greenstreet of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and Jacob Osei Yeboah – an independent aspirant.

Dr. Hassan Ayariga’s All People’s Congress(APC), Dr Edward Mahama of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Dr Agyenim Boateng of the United Front Party (UFP), Mr Kofi Akpaloo of the Independent People’s Party (IPP), Kwabena Adjei of the Reformed Patriotic Democrats (RPD), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) have all been disqualified.

The others include: Dr Henry Herbert Lartey of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Mr Richard Nixon Tetteh (United Development Systems Party), Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Mr Ward Brew of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP), Mr Alfred Kwame Asiedu Walker, an independent candidate, and Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP). Mr Akwesi Adae Odike of the United Progressive Party’s nomination is on hold pending a court case.

The Chair of the EC, Mrs Charlotte Osei cited filing anomalies including fraudulent signatures, absence of required number of signatures, improper filling of nomination forms, among others as the reasons for their disqualification.

Mrs Osei said some of the fraudulent information provided by the nominees, the EC will pursue criminal prosecution against them.