A Civil Rights Organisation, Center for Constitutional Order (CENCORD) has challenged the Electoral Commission’s(EC) power to vet nominations of presidential and parliamentary aspirants for the December polls.
A total of 17 presidential aspirants had submitted their forms on the deadline for submission of forms on Friday, September 30.
Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei, after the exercise, told Citi News the Commission will soon start vetting of the forms to ensure they are in compliance with the constitution and other subsidiary legislation.
“For the candidates who have met the requirements, their nominations will be accepted, which will mean they will be on the ballot paper for the December presidential elections,” she said.
But speaking to Citi News’ Sixtus Dong Ullo, a fellow of the Centre, Mr. Solomon Osei Fosu the EC is acting outside the election regulatory framework by vetting aspirants.
He believes the EC has no “moral right” to undertake such an exercise.
“Looking at the regulation, that is CI 94, there is nowhere that it says that there should be a vetting within seven days so based on that, we think that EC’s seven day vetting is not backed by law”
“The EC has no moral right to say that they are now going to vet because if they vet and there is a mistake are they going to declare that candidate invalid or that nomination invalid? Are they going to give that candidate an opportunity to amend or rectify mistakes,” he argued.
Charlotte Osei said the Commission will take seven (7) days to vet all the forms before coming out with the final list of qualified candidates.
“Next week, the Commission will come out with the official list of those who have met the legal requirements to be candidates for this year’s presidential and parliamentary elections,” she added.
At the end of the submission on Friday, 17 aspirants, including two independent candidates, submitted their forms, although the EC was expecting 23 people.
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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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