Twenty-four (24) presidential aspirants have officially filed their nominations with the Electoral Commission (EC) to contest the upcoming December 7 general election in Ghana. This includes 12 candidates from political parties and 12 independents, who submitted their forms by the close of business last Friday.
Among these are two aspirants who submitted their documents after the 5 p.m. deadline, leaving their eligibility subject to the EC’s final decision.
39 people picked up passcodes to enable them to fill and file the presidential nomination forms however, the 24 submitted the completed forms as of the close of business last Friday.
Presidential Aspirants – Party Candidates
Among the presidential hopefuls are Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Akpaloo of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Rev. Christian Kwabena Andrews of the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), and Hassan Ayariga of the All People’s Congress (APC).
Additional party candidates are Mohammed Frimpong (National Democratic Party), Akua Donkor (Ghana Freedom Party), Nana Akosua Frimpomaa Sarpong-Kumankumah (Convention People’s Party), Janet Asana Nabla (People’s National Party), Bernard Mornah (People’s National Convention), Daniel Augustus Lartey (Great Consolidated Popular Party), and Kofi Asamoah Siaw (Progressive People’s Party).
Presidential Aspirants – Independent Candidates
The independent candidates are Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen; Nana Kwame Bediako; Samuel Apea-Danquah; George Twum Barimah-Adu and Kofi Koranteng. Desmond Abrefah; Nana Stephens Adjepong; Paul Perkoh; James Kwesi Oppong; John Enyonam Kwakwu Kpikpi; Dr Samuel Sampong Ankrah as well as Nii Amu Darko also picked up forms as independent candidates.
Presidential Nominations Filling
The Electoral Commission (EC) opened the filing of nominations from Monday, September 9 to Friday, September 13, 2024. They are currently reviewing the nomination forms to verify whether all legal requirements have been met by the candidates. The commission has scheduled balloting for the presidential candidates on September 23, followed by parliamentary candidates on September 24, 2024.
Despite the EC’s clear deadline, a few candidates, including those from the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and the African Reform Movement (ARM), missed the cut-off time. The Deputy Commissioner for Operations at the EC, Samuel Tettey, confirmed that while these forms were received, the final decision regarding their validity will be communicated later.
The EC is currently vetting the applicants to confirm if those who submitted the forms have met the legal criteria.
Eight presidential aspirants filed their nominations on the first day of the exercise. They are Vice-President Bawumia; former President Mahama, whose nominations was filed on his behalf by the National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah; Mr Ayariga, Rev. Andrews, and Mr Akpaloo.
The rest for the day were Mr Bediako, Mr Apea-Danquah, and Mr Twum-Barima-Adu.
Mr Kyerematen, Alhaji Frimpong and Mr Koranteng filed on the second day of the exercise.
Desmond Kwame Abrefa, Nana Stevens Agyepong, Mr Mornah, Dr Augustus Lartey Jnr, Dr Paul Perkoh, James Kwasi Oppong, Dr Sam Ankrah, and Dr George Enyonam Kpikpi filled on
The EC Chairperson, Jean Adukwei Mensa, and her deputy commissioners were frank and open to the candidates, assuring them of a transparent and equal treatment for all.
She said, two teams had been set up to work on the documents almost immediately and revert for the candidates to know their fates.
 opened the filing of nominations from Monday, September 9 to Friday, September 13, 2024.){kind=link}