By Edward Acquah
Accra, Sept. 13, GNA – A total of 24 presidential aspirants have submitted their nomination forms to contest the 2024 presidential elections.
The Electoral Commission (EC) received the nomination forms from the aspirants from Monday, September 9 to Friday, September 13, 2024 at its Head Office in Accra.
A total of 32 aspirants picked nomination forms and were expected to complete the forms and submit within the five-day period.
The aspirants who filed are: Dr Mahamudu Bawumia (New Patriotic Party); Former President John Dramani Mahama (National Democratic Congress); Mr Percival Kofi Akpaloo (Liberal Party of Ghana); Nana Kwame Bediako (The New Force Movement), and Reverend Christian Kwabena Andrews (Ghana Union Movement), Mr Samuel Apea-Danquah (Independent Candidate), and Mr George Twum-Barimah (Independent Candidate).
Others are: Dr Hassan Ayariga (All People’s Congress); Alhaji Mohammed Frimpong (National Democratic Party); Mr Kofi Koranteng (Independent Candidate), and Mr Alan Kyerematen (Movememt for Change), Madam Akua Donkor (Ghana Freedom Party), Ms Janet Asana Nabla (People’s National Party), and Nana Frimpomaa Sarpong Kumankumah (Convention People’s Party).
The rest are: Mr Desmond Kwame Abrefa (Independent); Nana Stephens Agyapong (Independent); Mr Bernard Mornah (People’s National Convention); Dr Daniel Augustus Lartey Jnr. (Great Consolidated People’s Party); Dr Paul Perko (Independent); Mr James Kwasi Oppong (Independent); Dr John Kpikpi (Progressive Alliance Ghana); Dr Sam Ankrah (Independent); Dr Nii Amu Darko (Independent), and Mr Kofi Asamoah-Siaw (Progressive People’s Party).
The Progressive People’s Party and Dr Nii Amu Darko filed their nomination forms moments after the EC had officially announced the closure of nominations at about 1725 hours.
Per the rules governing the process, aspirants had up to 1700 hours on Friday, September 13, 2024 to submit their nomination forms at the Head office of the EC.
Mr Samuel Tettey, Deputy EC Chair In charge of Operations, said the Commission would receive the “late” nomination forms but would take a decision on its acceptance.
Meanwhile, another independent presidential aspirant, Dr Agnes Ayisha, could not file her nomination forms because she failed to complete the forms.
She appealed to the Commission to give her more time to compete her nomination forms.
Mr Tettey said the EC “is not the place to fill forms” adding that the five-day filing window was to allow aspirants the opportunity to correct all errors and gather relevant documents.
He said he would submit his report to Mrs Jean Mensa, the EC Chairperson, and Returning Officer for the Presidential Election for final decision on the matter.
Throughout the filing process, Mrs Mensa said the Commission had constituted two teams to scrutinise the documents of the presidential aspirants to ensure that they satisfied the key requirements.
She assured the aspirants that the EC’s committee would “get to work immediately” and provide feedback to the presidential aspirants within the “shortest possible time.”
“We have no doubt that the teams will conduct themselves in a fair but firm process,” she said.
GNA