The flagbearer of the All People’s Congress (APC) says reasons cited by the Electoral Commission (EC) for his disqualification from the upcoming presidential polls are unfounded and has threatened a court action.
Dr Hassan Ayariga said the ground that he did not properly fill his nomination form as mentioned by the EC is baseless considering he went through the same process before contesting the 2012 presidential election on the ticket of the People’s National Convention (PNC).
Speaking to Dzifa Bampoh, host of Joy FM’s Newsnite programme Monday, the APC leader said the EC cannot make a public spectacle of him by depicting his inability to provide enough evidence about his identity after he had used his details captured on the voter’s ID provided him by the Commission.
“There is no basis for my disqualification, I think the EC herself does not know what they are doing or they are confused,” he said, adding “if the EC doesn’t know my identity the court will tell you.”
The EC on Monday disqualified 13 presidential candidates out of the 17 who filed their nominations to take part in the December 7 presidential race for improper filing of their nomination forms.
At a news conference in Accra, EC Chairperson, Charlotte Osei says per the criteria, presidential candidates are expected to get 432 registered voters to endorse their nomination forms, and this must include two voters from every administrative district across the country.
Aspirants are also expected to submit for consideration a statutory declaration detailing their residential information as well as providing information about their running mates. The failure to follow through this process among others means a candidate stands to be disqualified.
After having examined the nomination form of Dr Ayariga, the EC Chair said she was unable to accept his form because;
“(a). The candidate did not provide evidence on his statutory declaration as to his hometown or residence in the constituency as per the legal requirements. (b). Two subscribers to Dr. Ayariga’s nominations also subscribed for another presidential candidate. This is in breach of Regulation 7(4) of CI 94.
The implication is that the two subscribers are disqualified and therefore, Dr. Ayariga does not have the requisite number of subscribers under Regulation 7(2) (b) of CI 94. The details of the duplicate subscribers are as follows: Abaako Issifu (page 103) Voter ID number 2988006876 PS code: J110202; Abudu Ayuba (page 95), Voter ID number 6303005554 PS code: H200201.”
Mrs Osei further said the signatures provided by both voters were different on the two nomination forms they filled, arguing “This raises questions as to the legitimacy of those signatures.”
She said the Commission will “refer the matter of the possible forgeries of these signatures to the Ghana Police Service and the Attorney General for investigation and prosecution in line with the following sections of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29): Section 211: Perjury Section 248: making false declaration etc. for office or voting; Section 251: Deceiving a public officer Section 256: Corruption, Intimidation and impersonation in respect of election.”
The other political parties disqualified include the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), United Progressive Party (UPP), Reformed Patriotic Democrats (RPD), Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Great Consolidated People’s Party (GCPP), United Front Party (UFP), National Democratic Party (NDP), and the Independent People’s Party (IPP).
At the end, four presidential candidates successfully went through the process namely the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Convention People’s Party (CPP) and an independent candidate, Jacob Yeboah.
The APC leader did not understand why the Commission would disqualify him because two of his subscribers had also endorsed another presidential candidate.
“Is this enough basis to disqualify Ayariga and his party?” he asked, adding the Commission should “come again and I will listen to you.”
He said he would be waiting for the letter from the Commission explaining reasons for the rejection of his nomination before heading to the court to seek redress. “Without the letter I cannot go to court,” he told Joy News.
-myjoyonline