Leaving Akua Donkor’s picture on ballot papers 'unconstitutional' – Barker-Vormawor

Private legal practitioner and social activist, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has argued that the Electoral Commission’s decision to include the late Akua Donkor on the 2024 presidential ballot papers is unconstitutional. According to him, the decision will potentially mislead voters and disenfranchise them. His statement comes after similar concerns were raised by Percival Kofi Akpaloo, the presidential candidate of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG).

In a press conference on Wednesday, 13th November 2024, Akpaloo argued that the EC’s decision to include the Ghana Freedom Party’s (GFP) late presidential candidate, Madam Akua Donkor, on the presidential ballot paper for the 7th December elections would “compromise the election.” He therefore called on the commission to reprint all ballot papers to avoid future legal repercussions.

Meanwhile, backing this position, in a Facebook post on Saturday 16th November 2024, Barker-Vormawor pointed out that the EC had already resolved to print new presidential ballot papers if the GFP’s replacement candidate, Mr Philip Appiah Kubi, affectionately known as Roman Fada, was successful. He therefore questioned, “Why then, was it deemed okay on grounds of cost to proceed with her picture? Was Roman Fada disqualified on manufactured financial reasons?”

Describing the situation as unacceptable, Barker-Vormawor stated that the EC’s decision would hurt opposition political parties compared to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

At an Interparty Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Tuesday, 12th November 2024, EC Chairperson Jean Mensa disclosed that the commission had rejected the nomination of the GFP’s new presidential candidate due to his failure to meet the required qualifications. The EC clarified that positions on the ballot would remain unchanged despite this disqualification, citing Sub-Regulation 5 of Regulation 10 of C.I. 127, which pertains to the withdrawal of parliamentary candidates.

Subsequently, the EC also began the transportation of ballot papers to the 16 regions on Thursday, 16th November 2024. However, in the latest development, the commission announced that it would reprint ballot papers for the Volta and Ahafo regions due to incorrect serial numbers. This was confirmed by the EC's Deputy Chairman of Operations, Samuel Tettey, during an emergency IPAC meeting on Friday, 15th November 2024.

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