An Accra High Court on Wednesday, struck out a case in which the PPP was protesting a GHc50,000 and GHc10,000, fixed by the Electoral Commission as filing fees for presidential and parliamentary candidates respectively, as part of the nomination process.

The court said it lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter, hence its decision to strike out the case.

[contextly_sidebar id=”fvnxhDshONdRYsP5axiB3H75vhwY44Kx”]The court further fined the party GHc10,000. But General Secretary of the PPP, Mohammed Murtala, told Citi News “it is not over, we will pursue it” at all cost.

“I’m not sure if the party will have the strength to pursue it before the election, but we will pursue it,” he added.

Mr. Murtala argued that, they protested the filing fee in court in the interest of Ghanaians.

“We have told Ghanaians several times that it is not really an issue about the cost; we want to establish that those discretionary powers given to state institutions are not applied arbitrarily, that’s the point. It has nothing to do with payments.”

“And we’ve told Ghanaians we can pay; and we have done that, but we want to prove the point that discretionary powers are not applied arbitrarily, you don’t just sit down and decide and slap people with a thousand percent increment without going through some consultation. So that is our argument and the basis for which we went to court. So it is not over. We will pursue it,” he added.

Background
The party filed an interlocutory injunction at the High Court on September 19, seeking to restrain the EC from going ahead with the receipt of filing fees from presidential and parliamentary candidates a day before the date scheduled for filing.

The injunction prevented the EC from receiving the filing fees of the various parliamentary and presidential hopefuls, though it accepted the filing fee of the PPP flagbearer, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, who was represented by the party’s Chairman, Nii Allotey Brew-Hammond.

But the Commission was later given the go-ahead by the court to collect the filing fees.

The PPP, among other things, was seeking a declaration that Regulation 45 of C.I. 94 which allows the EC to fix an amount as filing fee is discriminatory, arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable.

Some aggrieved parties had earlier asked the EC to review the amount describing it as “exorbitant.”

–

By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post We may pursue filing fee case after election – PPP appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

“Their filing fees would be refunded to them,” EC’s Head of Communications, Eric Dzakpasu said on Eyewitness News on Wednesday.

[contextly_sidebar id=”cSILaJ37v0tb2I5sl0cDM6xytD0BEj8l”]The Electoral Commission on Monday rejected the nomination of 13 presidential aspirants because they had issues with their forms leaving only four in the race – President John Mahama (NDC), Nana Akufo-Addo (NPP), Ivor Greenstreet (CPP) and Joseph Osei Yeboah (Independent candidate).

Some of the disqualified nominees include, Paa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Edward Mahama of the People’s National Congress (PNC) among others.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Eric Dzakpasu said they would refund the monies after the notice of polls are published.

“Per the rules on the disposal of deposits, refunding the payments will be after the notices of polls have been published. The rules states that; after the publication of the notice of polls which will indicate that these people are not contesting the elections, their monies must be refunded to them.”

The EC pegged filing fees for presidential and parliamentary nominees at GHc50,000 and GHc10,000 respectively, an amount that angered some of the parties, leading to a legal tussle between the Progressive People’s Party and the commission.

But an Accra High Court, eventually dismissed an injunction suit filed by the PPP on the collection of the fees.

Disqualified candidates threaten lawsuit

Whereas some of the parties have petitioned the EC to reconsider it’s decision, others have threatened to go to court to seek redress.

–

By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Disqualified aspirants to get refund after notice of poll – EC appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Kofi Akpaloo, flagbearer of the party presented his GHc50,000 filing fee in banker’s draft; but gave the EC a cash amount of GHc10,000 each for his parliamentary nominees in a ‘Ghana-must-go’ bag.

Citi News’ Sixtus Dong Ullo reported from the headquarters of the EC that “the Commission turned down the money and instructed that the cash be converted into a banker’s draft and submitted before the midday deadline.”

“The IPP as of the close of nominations was however not able to submit the filing fees for its parliamentary nominees,” he added.

Submit filing fees by midday

All the parties were supposed to submit their filing fees by midday today [Monday], after an Accra High court dismissed an injunction suit filed by the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) in protest against the fees.

The PPP had argued that, the GHc50, 000 and GHc10, 000 filing fees for both presidential and parliamentary hopefuls was too high.

CPP filing fee wahala

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) also delayed with the submission of its banker’s draft.

Sixtus reported that, the CPP led by its National Chairman, Prof. Edumund Delle, told the Commission that they were still processing the banker’s draft to be forwarded to them [EC] before the deadline.

“National Chairman of the CPP, Prof. Delle, showed up at the Commission, two minutes before deadline, to explain that their banker’s drafts for both presidential and parliamentary nominees were still being processed, and asked for more time. The Commission however says it will retire to decide on the request. This could effectively derail the party’s chances to contest the December polls,” Dong Ullo said.

14 parties submit filing fees

A total of 12 political parties and two independent candidates were able to submit filing fees for their presidential and parliamentary nominees to the EC before the 12:00pm deadline today.

–

By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post EC rejects IPP’s cash in ‘Ghana-must-go’ bag appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The commission had earlier suspended the acceptance of the fees following the case.

The PPP had protested the collection of the amount of GHc50, 000 and GHc10,000 for both presidential and parliamentary nominees claiming it was arbitrary.

[contextly_sidebar id=”4DByXVH4Y6ACYzcimEEOngvJot5lu91D”]The PPP told the court that it does not have enough money to pay the fees of its presidential candidate, and the 275 parliamentary candidates across the country, which will amount to almost Ghc2.8 million.

However the court went ahead to dismiss the injunction suit against the commission; thereby giving the Electoral Commission the go-ahead to collect the fees.

Details of the ruling are to be made known on Monday October 11, whereas the substantive case challenging the legality of the process of setting the fees, is to be heard on Tuesday. Another contempt suit the party filed against the EC Chair for collecting the banker’s draft for their presidential nominee during the filing of nominations is also pending.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, Head of Communications at the EC, Eric Dzakpasu, said they would commence the nomination processes on Monday.

“It’s a very welcoming news. We had to put on hold the nomination process until such time that the court determined this case so that we can receive the nomination fees before we can accept the nominations of the various candidates. So with this ruling by the court, it is good news because we are going to resume the nomination process and hopefully early next week we will finish up and come up with the list of candidates who will officially stand for this year’s election,” he said.

Submit your filing fees on Monday

Meanwhile the EC has directed aspirants for this year’s election to pay their filing fees by Monday, October 10, 2016.

“All nominated candidates for the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary elections are hereby advised to submit the banker’s draft in respect of their filing fees to the Electoral Commission not later than 12:00 noon on Monday October 10, 2016,” a statement from the EC stated.

–

By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post EC welcomes dismissal of injunction suit against filing fees appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This follows the dismissal of an injunction suit filed by the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), by an Accra High court protesting the payment of the fees.

Presidential and parliamentary nominees were expected to pay an amount of GHc50,000 and GHc10,000 respectively while submitting their nomination forms last week.

[contextly_sidebar id=”xOwRykvjebOX7g9KZfQEHhH2rIHsDDMD”]But the EC though accepted the nomination forms from the aspirants, it failed to accept the filing fees following the lawsuit.

“All nominated candidates for the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary elections are hereby advised to submit the banker’s draft in respect of their filing fees to the Electoral Commission not later than 12:00 noon on Monday October 10, 2016,” a statement signed by the EC’s Head of Communications, Eric Kofi Dzakpasu stated.

Below is the full statement:

SUBMISSION OF FILING FEES

All nominated candidates for the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary elections are hereby advised to submit the banker’s draft in respect of their filing fees to the Electoral Commission not later than 12:00 noon on Monday October 10, 2016. The submission should be done as follows:

1. Presidential nominees are to submit their draft to the Returning Officer at the Head Office of the Commission;
2. Parliamentary nominees are to submit their draft to the Returning Officers at the District Offices of the Electoral Commission where their Constituencies are situated.
3. Political parties may alternatively pay for their parliamentary nominees at the Head Office of the Commission; but the banker’s draft for such nominees must be accompanied by a list of the party’s candidates on the party’s letterhead and properly signed by authorized party executives.

All nominees are reminded that this is an essential requirement for qualification to be accepted as a Candidate for the 2016 elections, as provided for by Regulation 8 (1) (b) of the Public Elections Regulations, 2016 C.I. 94.

Thank you.

Signed:

ERIC KOFI DZAKPASU

Head of Communications

–

By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Submit filing fees on Monday – EC to aspirants appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The suit follows the EC’s decision to accept the PPP’s filing fee last week, despite an interlocutory injunction secured by the latter.

The PPP believes the decision by Charlotte Osei to accept its filing fee is unlawful.

A copy of the writ sighted by Citi News said “take notice that this Honourable court shall be moved by lawyers of the applicant, Yaw Amoah-Owusu , praying the Honourable court for an order of Committal of you Mrs Charlotte Ama Osei, Chairman of the Electoral Commission of the Republic of Ghana, for defying the substance of the motion on Notice of an order pending before this Honourable court and on the basis of the Affidavit in support to this motion and for any orders the Honourable court may deem fit.”

Background

The PPP filed a suit at the High Court early this month, seeking an interlocutory injunction to prevent the Commission from receiving the nominations in protest against what they described as “high” filing fees set by the EC for aspirants.

According to the Chairman of the PPP, Allotey Brew Hammond, although they asked the Commission to return the bank draft after the presentation on Friday, the EC Chair, refused to hand it back to them.

“We have started the motion of talking to our lawyers to get the processes of filing for contempt because our relief was to have the EC not to accept any filing fee and since they have accepted our filing fee, they are in contempt of the injunction,” Mr Brew Hammond told Citi News.

Reacting to claims the PPP deliberately presented their filing fee to the EC as a trap and that the PPP is also in contempt for presenting the fee, the party Chairman said, “We will leave it to the judges to tell us if offering and accepting are the same thing. Even if we trapped them [EC], we made the effort to remind the Commission that they were not supposed to accept but they [EC] objected.” ‘

EC accepts filing fees’

In an interesting twist last week, the Commission accepted the filing fee of the PPP flagbearer despite an interlocutory injunction placed on the process by the same party.

Charlotte Osei justifies receipt of PPP’s filing fee despite suit

But Charlotte Osei, defended the decision of the election management body to accept the filing fee of the PPP, saying the Commission accepted the filing fee because they assumed the party was no longer interested pursuing the case in court.

“By presenting it; I thought they had withdrawn the case, that was the impression,” she said.

‘We didn’t trick EC’

The Director of Operations for the PPP, Nana Ofori Owusu, also stated that the party had no intention of tricking the Electoral Commission.

Speaking on Citi FM’s news analysis programme, The Big Issue, Nana Owusu said by presenting their nomination forms with the filing fees, the PPP was only doing what was required by law.

PPP could face contempt over filing fee submission’

Meanwhile, legal practitioner, John Ndebugri, has said the PPP risks being cited for contempt of court for presenting its filing fee to the Electoral Commission (EC), despite being the very entity to place an injunction on the process.

The PPP is expected to hold a press conference this week to address the turn of events, as they await on the court to hear the substantive matter.

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post PPP cites EC Boss for contempt appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

There has been a 500 percent increase in the filing fees for presidential nominees between 2012 and 2016.

The PPP has thus sued the Commission, and is among other things prayed the court to declare the filing fees as “arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable.”

Communications Director of the CPP, Kadir Abdul Rauf Issifu, told Citi News they will also independently continue to oppose the fee hikes until the EC reviews it downwards.

“As a political party, the CPP has raised its voice against the exorbitant filing fees and we have also stated on occasional instances that we are going to oppose it using every means possible so if the PPP chose to go to court, which is also a legitimate means I do not think that they should be any qualms with that.”

“We will encourage them so to do, and that we would also add up our own strategies in our own ways to ensure that the Electoral Commission brings down the cut throat filing fees. I am telling you that it is a democracy, they have chosen that path and that path is legitimate so let them pursue it. We do not have difficulty with that. We would also use all the resources and all the channels available to express and register our displeasure until the Electoral Commission does the right thing by bringing down the fees,” he added.

EC to consider review of filing fee

The court action comes few days after the EC said it will soon meet to consider whether or not to review amounts.

The commission has been bashed for pegging filing fees for presidential and parliamentary nominees at GHc50, 000 and GHc10, 000 respectively.

Some of the parties including the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have expressed reservations about the amount, saying it would only limit the electioneering process to a privileged few.

15 presidential aspirants pick nomination forms

So far, About 15 presidential nominees have picked up nomination forms to contest the December 7 polls, and are expected to pay the fees when they return the filled forms.

They comprise 13 political parties and two independent candidates.

The parties are: the Democratic People’s Party (DPP), the All People’s Party (APP), the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), the United Development System Party (UDSP), the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the National Democratic Party (NDP), the United Love Party (ULP).

The rest are, the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Independent People’s Party (IPP), the United Progressive Party (UPP), the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) and the united Front Party (UFP).

–

By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post CPP backs PPP lawsuit over ‘high’ filing fees appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The defendants have eight days from today [Monday] September 19, to respond to the suit.

The plaintiff is among other things, seeking a declaration that “the filing fees is arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable”.

It is also seeking a declaration that Regulation 45 of C.I. 94 is discriminatory, arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable.

“That the entire C.I. 94 does not contain the appropriate relevant provisions that meet the intendment of Article 296 of the 1992 Constitution.”

“A declaration that the proper instrument within the meaning of the relevant laws of the Republic of Ghana, in charging a deposit or fees for conducting a presidential or parliamentary election, by the Electoral Commission, is a statutory instrument and not constitutional instrument.”

“An order directed at the defendants to desist from collecting and or receiving the said deposit or fees for the conduct of the 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections until the appropriate statutory instruments have been passed in accordance with appropriate legal rights.”

Aspirants pick nomination forms

Meanwhile some presidential aspirants have already picked the nomination forms from the EC, and will be expected to return the forms with the money.

The incumbent National Democratic Congress (NDC) is of the view that, the amount is acceptable, whereas the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP), believe it is not in the interest of smaller parties who desire to contribute to the country’s democratic process.

EC to consider review of filing fee

The PPP’s action comes few days after the Electoral Commission said it will soon meet to consider whether or not to review amounts.

This follows the wave of bashing it received from some political parties for pegging presidential and parliamentary filing fees at GHc50, 000 and GHc10, 000 respectively; an amount they complain is too high.

Some of the parties including the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have expressed reservations about the amount, saying it would only limit the electioneering process to a privileged few.

Speaking to Citi News earlier, the Head of Communications at the EC, Eric Dzakpasu, said the commission will meet to deliberate on the way forward.

“The commission has taken notice of the concerns and that the commission will meet and decide if there is a possibility of a review and that if there is a review it will be communicated to the political parties.”

Amount to be refunded if… – EC

Mr. Dzakpasu explained that, the amount they fixed was done in accordance with the law, and as such, the monies will be deposited in the Consolidated Fund if the presidential and parliamentary candidates fail to garner 25% and 12.5% votes respectively, during the December general elections.

Parties can afford EC’s ‘high’ filing fees – Casley Hayford

Financial Analyst, Sydney Casley Hayford, has watered down suggestions that filing fees being charged by the Electoral Commission is expensive.
–
By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AfanyiDadzie

The post PPP sues EC over ‘high’ filing fees appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Commission has been criticized by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the People’s National Convention (PNC), for pegging filing fees for the December 7 polls at GHc50,000 and GHc10,000 for presidential and parliamentary aspirants respectively.

The NPP in particular argued that, the amount will only limit participation in the democratic process to only a privileged few.

But speaking on Citi FM’s news analysis Programme, ‘The Big Issue’, Casley Hayford said these criticisms are baseless , saying “If you want to become President of this country and you cannot afford to pay 50,000 cedis over four years in order to become President then please step down. You have no reason to be involved in what we are doing. You have four years to plan, to raise enough money, to put your party’s financial matters together properly in order to ensure that when the time comes, you can actually pay for the fees. “

He added that “the mistake probably is that, the EC has hit the political parties with this tariff just recently and you now have to find the money under emergency conditions; but if you were told four years ago that you have to pay 50,000, you probably would not have a problem with it; so maybe it’s the sharpness of the decision which is worrying them; but frankly they should be able to find the money.”

He further wondered why the various political parties are kicking against the move, when they actually “waste more money giving away bribes to the voting public.”

“If you look at the NDC and NPP; you will see they are giving away branded motorcycles and other goodies…”

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Parties can afford EC’s ‘high’ filing fees – Casley Hayford appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The anger of the smaller political parties, so called, against the EC for the sharp increment in filing fees is perhaps summed up in the comments of the Campaign Strategist of the Convention People’s Party, Kwabena Bomfeh.

“You do not need financial arm or muscle to contribute your quota to nation building. Young people who are beginning life and want to contribute by way of offering themselves in terms of leadership when they have the skill, the talent, the zeal and the capacity to lead, you saying that if they don’t have the financial muscle they should go hang? No! Our Electoral Commission cannot do that”

While the CPP was speaking against the fees, its flagbearer, Ivor Greenstreet, reportedly said they will bow out of the elections in protest against the fees.

The People’s National Convention (PNC), threatened a court action if the EC did not review the fees, and the Democratic People’s Party’s Thomas Ward Brew, a former Presidential aspirant, said the EC was inviting chaos for the high filing fees. What is however interesting is the fact that, the political parties have always charged higher filing fees for their internal elections than what is charged by the EC for national elections.

N3: In the run to the 2016 elections, for instance, political parties charged very high fees for persons willing to contest either in the presidential or parliamentary primaries. Only the All People’s Congress (APC), made its nomination available to prospective nominees free of charge. For the NPP, Presidential hopefuls paid ten thousand Ghana cedis as nomination fees and 75 thousand Ghana cedis as filing fee, totaling 85 thousand Ghana cedis. That is 35 thousand cedis in excess of what the EC is now charging. Though prospective parliamentary nominees were charged a flat rate of 10 thousand Ghana cedis, constituencies with sitting MPs were made to pay additional Ghc20,000 for  what they described as development fees.

The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) however charged as much as the EC is currently charging; 50 thousand Ghana cedis for presidential hopefuls; and 10 thousand Ghana cedis for parliamentary nominees. The Convention People’s Party (CPP), probably topped all other political parties. Presidential Hopefuls were charged as much as 125 thousand Ghana cedis as filing fees, about 4 times what the EC is currently charging.

With these charges, the APC believes, the political parties are simply involved in double-standards. According to the party General Secretary, Razak Poku, “they are being hypocritical. Our own internal elections we have made it very expensive. We can’t blame the Electoral Commission for making democracy expensive, we started it”.

The CPP National Chairman Prof. Edmund Delle, disagrees with him.

“That argument is flawed. We are private organizations; but the EC is a state-owned organization and the state funds it. We are also aware that the donor community is always prepared to support the EC”.

Well, the political parties have already argued that the EC’s filing fees could exclude many other people from participating in the democratic process.

But should they themselves not demonstrate the inclusion they want to see through their internal party processes and operations?

–

By: Sixtus Dong Ullo /Citifmonline.com /Ghana
Follow @ sixtus_gh

The post Filing fee brouhaha; are the parties being hypocritical?[Article] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.