Hassan Ayariga, the twice disqualified presidential candidate of Ghana’s opposition All People’s Congress, is calling on the chairperson of the country’s electoral commission to step down with immediate effect, before next month’s general elections. If chairperson Charlotte Osei does not resign, Ayariga said Ghana’s presidential, legislative and local elections on December 7 will no longer be seen as transparent and credible. Civil society groups in Ghana and other members of the electoral commission dismissed Ayariga’s demands and defended Osei as someone who has implemented electoral laws without favoring any side. The APC leader noted that Osei, who has held her position for less than a year, has faced legal challenges more than 15 times, with every one of her decisions being overturned in court.
The electoral commission announced the placement this week of seven candidates deemed qualified to contest the presidential election. Ayariga was not among them, having been disqualified for a second time for failing to meet the commission’s requirements for registering his candidacy.
The opposition figure had filed a legal challenge against the electoral commission’s original disqualification, and the court agreed, ordering the electoral body to reconsider his nominating papers. However, the commission then decided to disqualify Ayariga for a second time.
Full Article: Disqualified Ghanaian Candidate Seeks Ouster of Electoral Commission Chief.
