The National Treasurer of the People’s National Convention (PNC) has hinted they would challenge the disqualification of the party’s flagbearer, Dr Edward Mahama from the upcoming polls in court.
Akane Adams claims the Electoral Commission (EC)’s disqualification of the party’s leader and 11 others on Monday based on slights found on their nomination forms is a “bizarre and very unpopular” decision.
“Our party remains calm and resolute with a strong conviction to emerge successful in the end,” he told Myjoyonline.com.
The PNC, like the other 11 disqualified political parties has threatened to turn the EC’s disqualification of Dr Mahama from the 2016 presidential race.
EC Chairperson, Charlotte Osei had told the media on Monday that she would be unable to accept the nomination of the PNC leader because the number of subscribers on his form was less than the expected 432 voters.
This, she explained was due to the fact that two of Dr Mahama’s subscribers Abaaku Issifu with the voter ID number 2988006876 and Abudu Ayuba with the ID number 6303005554 were already on another candidate’s list of subscribers, clearly breaching the law.
“For a large majority of subscribers, the signature portion was ticked rather than subscribed with a signature, thumb print or mark. It is important to point out that a simple tick does not satisfy the requirements of the law for where a mark is made in lieu of a signature or thumb print.”
PNC flagbearer, Dr Edward Mahama
Mr Adams had earlier told Joy News the former EC boss, Kwadwo Afari Djan did far better in terms of his dealings with political parties than what Mrs Osei is doing.
Desirous of having the EC’s decision reversed, the PNC functionary said “we certainly are not leaving any stone unturned and we shall test and explore all avenues to ensure we get our party back on the ballot.”
He is convinced the Commission would have found errors on the nomination forms of the two dominating political parties namely the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) if it had scrutinized them carefully.
He was equivocal that a “30 seconds scrutiny of both NDC and NPP forms in court could identify errors and which we belief our lawyers shall do justice to.”
“The PNC shall be back on the ballot soon. Forward ever, backwards never!”
-myjoyonline