The printing of presidential ballot papers for the 2024 elections is set to proceed without any alterations. As a result, Akua Donkor’s image and party symbol will still appear in the third position on the ballot paper.
This means that the positions of the presidential candidates remain unchanged. However, any ballots cast in Akua Donkor’s name will be annulled and will not count.
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Jean Mensa made the disqualification known at an emergency Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Tuesday, November 12.
Jean Mensa explained that Philip Appiah Kubi, the replacement flagbearer for the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), has been disqualified due to errors and alleged irregularities discovered in his nomination documents. She explained that the requirement is that, there should be two registered voters from each district endorsing the nomination form of a presidential candidate.
In this instance, when the commission examined Philip Appiah Kubi’s nomination forms, there were illegalities as he used names and details of registered voters in different districts to represent other districts. Based on that, the commission decided to disqualify Philip Appiah Kubi of the GFP from partaking in the 2024 presidential election.
She said, the commission has chosen not to reorder the ballot positions to avoid delays and additional costs associated with reprinting. “We are almost 90 percent complete with the printing of presidential ballots, and you are also aware that following the passing of Madam Akua Donkor we requested the printing houses to cease printing until the law had taken its course.
“Now that the presidential candidate has been disqualified, the Commission wants to inform you that the positions will proceed on the current ballot.” She further indicated that the Commission would embark on an extensive public awareness campaign to sensitize the public and prevent them from voting for Akua Donkor.
“We will proceed with the name and image of Madam Akua Donkor, and we believe that a lot of discussions and advertisements will go to prevent the citizenry from voting for her,” she stated.
Background
Akua Donkor, who was the GFP’s presidential candidate died on October 28, 2024, at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, formerly known as Ridge Hospital.
Based on that, the EC suspended the printing of ballot papers and asked the GFP to nominate a replacement by November 8, 2024.
Philip Appiah Kubi was Akua Donkor’s vice presidential candidate, and following his nomination by the GFP to replace Akua Donkor, he submitted his forms to the EC last week within the window the commission gave for the GFP to nominate a replacement.
