EC clears Ayariga’s new APC for 2016 polls

The Electoral Commission of Ghana is expected to provide a provisional license to Hassan Ayariga to operate his newly formed political party - the All People’s Congress (APC).

Ayariga defected from the People’s National Convention (PNC) over a month ago when he lost in his bid to lead the party in the 2016 elections.

The EC will be presenting the provisional license to him by Friday, January 29, 2016. His license takes effect from 2015 to 2016.

Reports have it that Ayariga, who lost the PNC bid to Dr Edward Mahama, already has over 150 offices across Ghana.

A Gynaecologist-cum-politician, Dr Mahama beat Ayariga to become the PNC presidential candidate.

Mahama, who led the party in the 1996 elections through to the 2008 polls before being succeeded by Hassan Ayariga in the 2012 elections, polled 492 votes as against Ayariga’s 426 votes.

The defeat did not go down well with Ayariga who then broke ranks with the Nkrumahist grouping.