The Electoral Commission has disqualified five out of the seventeen aspirants who had filed to contest the 2020 presidential election.
At a press conference this evening, the Commission said the five had breached filing procedures in ways that incriminates themselves. They are alleged, to have among other things, forged signatures of guarantors.
Consequently, they have been reported to the Police for criminal investigations into the allegation.
The five include Kofi Koranteng and Marricke Kofi Gane, who are independent Candidates. The others are Akwasi Odike of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Agyenim Boateng of the United Front Party (UFP) and Kwesi Busumburu of the People’s Action Party (PAP).
According to Sylvia Annor, Public Relations Officer of the EC thee five have already been reported to the Police.
However, their filing fees (Ghc100,000 each) have been refunded to them.
The disqualifications means that twelve Candidates sailed through for the 2020 presidential contest. They are, Alfred Kwame Asiedu Walker, and Independent Candidate, Rev. Christian Kwabena Andrews of the Ghana Union Movement, Brigitte Dzogbenuku of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) and John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The others are Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Hassan Ayariga of the All Peoples Congress (APC) and Ivor Kobina Greenstreet of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP).
The rest are Dr. Henry Herbert Lartey of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Kofi Akpaloo of the Independent Peoples Party(IPP) and David Apesera of the Peoples National Convention (PNC).
The EC has said that the next line of action is to cast ballots and that it will announce dates from tomorrow onwards.
Per the rules, Candidates who are able to achieve up 25% of the total votes cast in the election will have their filing fees refunded to them.