Hassan Ayariga
Even before Ghanaians go to the polls on December 7, the referee for the 2016 presidential elections Charlotte Osei had written off the presidential candidate of the All People’s Congress, Hassan Ayariga.
Speaking at a lecture in the UK last week, Chairperson of the Electoral Commissioner said, “there will be one winner and certainly several losers including Hassan Ayariga, I am sure”.
But speaking to journalists in Accra, Charlotte Osei denied making the comment.
On the day of the denial, she also announced that the APC Presidential candidate has been disqualified from the December 7 general elections.
This was because his nomination papers fell short of the requirements stated in the law governing the election, the C.I 94. It was the second time the commission rejected the APC flagbearer’s nomination forms.
After the first rejection, he went to court and prevailed over the EC which was directed to allow him to correct the errors on the forms that formed the basis for his disqualification.
The Supreme court judgment later also stressed the disqualified candidates should be given a second chance. In spite of this second chance, Hassan Ayariga and seven others could not make the list.
Peeved at the decision, Hassan Ayariga has accused the chairperson of the EC of having a personal agenda against him. He said on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show he has suffered a ‘personal knock-out not a technical knock-out.
According to him, ever since he tried to correct the errors on his forms, Mrs Charlotte Osei has worked to frustrate him.
When he and others were given a second chance, Mr Ayariga alleges the APC went to the EC’s offices at 8am Monday morning. In a testament to her rude behaviour, they only managed to see Charlotte Osei at 7pm, he claimed.
Although the EC pointed out 95 more errors which she said included inconsistent signatures, Charlotte Osei also got angry when the APC pointed out 10 of the EC’s own inconsistent signatures.
Hassan Ayariga said Charlotte Osei raised her voice at them and questioned Ayariga’s place to cast doubt over the EC’s signatures.
The behaviour of the EC, he said, raises questions about the capability of women to handle sensitive positions like the EC chair.
Hassan Ayariga said the EC boss is too emotional to be fit for the job.
–Myjoyonline