The Electoral Commission (EC) on Monday confirmed 12 out of the 17 presidential aspirants who filed nomination as eligible to contest the December 7 general election.
Mrs Jean Mensa, Chairperson of EC, said the candidates who met the requirements of law and therefore, qualified to contest the December 7 Presidential Election included incumbent President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The rest are; Mr Alfred Kwame Asiedu Walker, Independent Candidate, Mr Christian Kwabena Andrews of the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), Madam Brigitte Akosua Dzogbenuku of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP)and Madam Akua Donkor, Ghana Freedom Party (GFP).
Others are; Mrs Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Mr Hassan Ayariga, All People’s Congress (APP), Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, Convention People’s Party (CPP), Mr Henry Herbert Lartey of the Great Consolidated People’s Party (GCPP), Mr Percival Kofi Akpaloo of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) and Mr David Asibi Ayindenaba Apasera of the People’s National Congress (PNC).
Mrs Mensa said five of the 17 presidential aspirants were disqualified for not meeting the requirements of the law.
The disqualified candidates include Kofi Koranteng, an independent candidate, Mr Marricke Kofi Gane, an independent candidate, Mr Akwasi Addea Odike of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Mr Kwasi Busumbru of People’s Action Party and Nana Agyenim Boateng of the United Front Party.
Mrs Mensa said reasons for the disqualification of some of the candidates, ranged from forging of signatures of supporters to failure to acquire the required number of supporters to endorse the forms.
Mrs Mensa urged the qualified candidates to engage in a decent campaign – a campaign based on policies and programmes that would lead to the betterment of the Ghanaian society.
“As referees, our role is to arrange and organize orderly, fair, transparent, peaceful and credible election. We assure you that we are working to do just that,” she said.
“We do not have the power to determine who wins the elections. It is not in our power or control to determine the outcome of the election. That power lies with the good people of our dear country. The citizens and the citizens alone can determine who should lead them – Not the Electoral Commission.”
“It is the Candidate who is given power to lead this country by the citizens who will be declared President of the Republic of Ghana by the Electoral Commission come the 7th of December, 2020.”
She said the EC had institutionalised a fair, open, transparent and accountable process to guide the declaration of the results.
“To the aspiring Presidential Candidates who did not make this process, we wish you better luck next time. Your filing fees of GHC100,000 will be refunded to you,” Mrs Mensa said.
GNA.