Ghana: Uncertainty over poll date as disqualified aspirants sue electoral body

Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) is unable to officially set a date for the upcoming general election after it was served multiple lawsuits.

The suits were brought against the EC by some disqualified presidential candidates. A little over a week ago, the EC announced the disqualification of 13 out of 17 presidential aspirants for the December 7 poll.

The EC chair, Charlotte Osei, cited the failure of the aspirants to meet necessary requirements in filling their nomination forms as reason for their disqualification.

#Election2016: GROUNDS FOR THE DISQUALIFICATION OF SOME PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES https://t.co/mfBVVv8j8s pic.twitter.com/wPITiffxtJ

— Electoral Commission (@ECGhanaOfficial) October 10, 2016

Even though the known date of the polls is 7 December, the commission said it would await the outcome of the court cases before making an announcement. No amount of pleas by the aspirants will be accepted by the EC, who had asked them to proceed to court with whatever grievances they had.

As it stands now, for the presidential contest, the incumbent John Mahama, who is the flag-bearer of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), will come up against Nana Akufo-Addo of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The other two contenders are Ivor Kwabena Greenstreet of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) – party of Ghana’s founding father Dr Kwame Nkrumah and one Jacob Osei Yeboah, an independent candidate.

Ghana’s chief justice, Georgina Theodora Wood, has meanwhile nominated 17 high courts judges across the country to deal promptly with the electoral disputes. Many Ghanaians fear that the lawsuits could delay the elections.