The People’s National Congress (PNC) has accused the Electoral Commission of breaching the provisions of the law in the disqualification of its presidential candidate, Dr Edward Mahama from the upcoming Presidential elections.
Lawyers of the party in a letter dated 19th October, 2016 and addressed to the Electoral Commission provided explanations to the issues the EC raised about their candidate’s nomination form which formed the basis for his disqualification.
[contextly_sidebar id=”O3d2jbRZFEPxZ6PzwfpB8D5BNLLbK56O”]The PNC’s Edward Mahama, was disqualified from contesting in the upcoming presidential elections together with 12 other aspirants due to some anomalies in their submitted nomination forms.
According to the EC, the PNC’s candidate was disqualified for reasons that include, many subscribers not properly signing the forms. It also said two subscribers to Dr Mahama forms had also subscribed for another presidential candidate, an act which was not acceptable according to the electoral laws. It also said Dr. Mahama did not have the requisite number of subscribers required under Regulation 7(2) (b) of CI 94.
But according to lawyer for the PNC, Dr Raymond Akongburo Atuguba, the EC went outside its convention and practices leading to Mahama’s disqualification.
The 30-point letter noted that “aside breaching the clear provisions of the law in this matter, the EC went outside its convention and practices. It has always been the practice since 1992, for the EC Chair as returning officer for presidential elections, to go through the completed forms with the presidential candidates and afford them the opportunity to have same rectified prior to any possible disqualification.”
On the issue of the Dr Mahama’s subscribers subscribing another candidate, lawyers for the party said it was untrue.
It said, “Although they may have subscribed to the nomination forms of another presidential candidate of their party, the PNC, for previous elections, they subscribed to the nomination forms of ONLY Dr. Edward Nasigre Mahama, as PNC Presidential Candidate for the 2016 general elections.”
Click here for the full letter
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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana