Jean Mensa, EC chair
Twelve persons have been declared qualified to compete in the upcoming presidential election slated for December 7.
The Electoral Commission (EC) also found five other candidates unfit to compete in the race on grounds of forged signatures, among other infractions.
The qualified candidates include Alfred Kwame Asiedu Walker, Independent Candidate; Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, New Patriotic Party; Christian Kwabena Andrews, Ghana Union Movement; Brigitte Akosua Dzogbenuku, Progressive People’s Party; and John Dramani Mahama, National Democratic Congress.
The rest are Akua Donkor, Ghana Freedom Party; Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, National Democratic Party; Hassan Ayariga, All People’s Congress; Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, Convention People’s Party; Henry Herbert Lartey, Great Consolidated People’s Party; Percival Kofi Akpaloo, Liberal Party Ghana; and David Asibi Ayindenaba Apasera, People’s National Congress.
Disqualified for forgeries
The disqualified candidates are Kofi Koranteng, Kofi Marrick Gani, both independent candidates; Akwesi Odike, of UFP; Kwesi Busom Buru, of PAP; and Nana Agyenim Boateng, of UFP.
Giving the announcement, the Chairperson of the Commission, Jean Mensa, revealed that having observed the fake signatures, it forwarded the matter to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, which confirmed the forgeries.
“The eighth candidate to present his nomination form was Mr Kofi Koranteng. There were no IT issues with his nomination forms. However, the technical team noticed that 19 persons who had allegedly supported the CPP candidate had also supported Mr Kofi Koranteng and further checks revealed that these persons had not endorsed this candidate,” she said.
“…the technical team found that the signatures of these 19 persons were fake and the matter was referred to the CID… and did confirm that the signatures were fake,” she added.
For Mr Odike, the EC Chair revealed that: “Mr Akwai Odike was the 13th person to file his nominations with the Commission. There were no IT issues; however, the IT team noticed that the hand writings were similar, with similar signatures, and referred the matter to the CID who confirmed that, indeed, a number of the signatures were fake and the candidate has therefore been disqualified,” she said.
“The 15th candidate to present his nomination form was Mr Agyenim Boateng. Three of the persons who supported his candidature have denied endorsing the candidate’s nomination, and the Commission have a letter to that effect. The Commission referred the matter to the CID who confirmed the signatures were fake,” Mrs Jean Mensa added.
The EC boss further told journalists that the filing fees of the disqualified candidates would be refunded to them.
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