2016 Presidential Race: 8 Drop, 17 File

The Electoral Commission (EC) yesterday drew the curtains on the filing of nominations for both presidential and parliamentary aspirants as part of the processes leading to the December 7, 2016 general elections.

However, by the close of the two-day exercise, 15 out of the 16 political parties and two out of the nine independent candidates who picked nominations forms were able to submit them,  which means that eight aspirants have dropped out of the race.

Some of the independent candidates who were unable to meet the EC's deadline were Kwaku Antwi Owusu, Lawrence Yamil Nketia, John Alex Hamah, father of Victoria Hamah, one-time minister of state, Major Ibrahim Rida (rtd) and Chief Dr Yaw Kumey, who had erected some giant billboards across the country to compete with NDC's John Mahama.

Ramon Osei Akoto of the United Love Party (ULP) also did not show up, leaving the race for 17 political parties and independent candidates.

However, it is not clear if all the candidates who have filed their nominations would be cleared by the EC after going through their documents, especially since the case of the GH¢50,000 filing fee for presidential aspirants and GH¢10,000 for the parliamentary candidates is still pending in court. Some of the aspirants insist that the fees are outrageous.

The first day of the event saw the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Independent People’s Party (IPP), Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), United Progressive Party (UPP), All People’s Congress (APC), Reformed Patriotic Democrats (RPD), United Front Party (UFP) and the National Democratic Party (NDP) filing their nominations.

Yesterday, the Progressive People's Party (PPP), Unity Development System Party (UDSP), Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Convention People's Party (CPP), People's National Convention (PNC) and the Democratic People's Party (DPP), together with two independent presidential aspirants – Jacob Osei Yeboah and Kwame Asiedu Walker – managed to register for the December elections with the filing of their nominations.

But the exercise did not go without a drama. First was an issue involving the PPP about the controversial filing fee.

Confusion
Even though the party has placed an interlocutory injunction in court challenging the EC's decision to charge GH¢50,000 and GH¢10,000 as stated earlier, the PPP strangely offered to make payment with a banker's draft for the very amount it is contending.

Chairman of the party, Nii Allotey Brew Hammond, did the presentation together with National Treasurer of the PPP, Felix Ograh, who doubles as the party's lawyer.

Interestingly, Chairperson of the Commission, Charlotte Osei, received the banker's draft without hesitation together with the nomination forms – unlike in other instances where she had refused the temptation of accepting the payments from other political parties and candidates because of the pending legal suit.

This came as a surprise to many onlookers, especially journalists who could not comprehend what was taking place.

That was after the PPP Chairman had asked Madam Charlotte Osei to give the banker's draft back to him.

But the EC boss would not budge because according to her, Nii Allotey Brew Hammond had already given it out.

The puzzle is yet to be solved by the High Court when the case comes up for hearing on October 11, 2016.

Candidates
After the PPP came the USDP's Richard Nixon Tetteh, followed by Dr Henry Lartey and his running mate of the GCPP, John Ameka, to submit their nominations forms.

Then came CPP's Presidential Candidate, Ivor Kobina Greenstreet and his running mate, Nana Gabby Nketiah – a former Ambassador in the erstwhile Kufuor administration.

Due to the non-availability of an elevator in the EC building, Mr Greenstreet, who is physically challenged, had to be lifted to the second floor where the event was taking place.

Dr Edward Nasigri Mahama of the PNC followed suit to file as well as independent candidates Jacob Osei Yeboah and Kwame Asiedu Walker, with good old Thomas Nuako Ward-Brew being the last to submit his forms.

Drama
Another drama unfolded when George Boateng, the man who attempted to contest President Mahama for the flagbearership position of the NDC, popped up.

George, who claimed he was a running mate to one Lawrence Nketia Kuti, who had picked nominations forms to contest in the 2016 elections as an independent candidate, said he was there to ascertain whether the EC boss had received a petition they sent to her against the payment of filing fees.

But that was not without an issue since the EC boss said she had not received any petition to that effect.

In the process, he burst out and left without submitting the nomination forms.

EC's Decision
At a later press conference, Charlotte Osei noted, “The submission of forms does not mean that their nominations have been accepted.”

Instead, she indicated, “We will now vet the forms to make sure that they are in compliance with the legal requirements under the Constitution and subsidiary legislation.”

After going through the forms, she emphasized, “For the candidates who have met the legal requirements, their nominations would be accepted, which would mean that they would be on the ballot paper for the December 7 elections.”

Same, according to her, applied to the parliamentary aspirants who filed their nominations across the country.

The EC, therefore, has seven days to vet the nomination forms after which it would come out to announce the final list of those who were able to meet the criteria.

It would be followed by balloting of slots [positions] on how the candidates would appear on the ballot paper on Election Day.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu