Ghana Freedom Party Organiser welcomes disqualification from 2024 Election

The National Organiser of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Richard Botchway says the party has accepted the Electoral Commission's (EC) decision to disqualify its replacement presidential candidate, Philip Appiah Kubi, from the upcoming 2024 election. 

Speaking in an interview Mr. Botchway Botchway claimed that the GFP had initially decided not to field a candidate following the recent death of its founder and former flagbearer, Madam Akua Donkor.

“We lost our flagbearer, the late Madam Akua Donkor. We all agreed, as a family and as a political party, that no one was going to contest,” Mr. Botchway stated in an interview on Citi FM, explaining that Mr Kubi, along with the party’s General Secretary, had independently taken steps to submit a nomination form to the EC. “Unfortunately, it couldn’t go through, and he has now been disqualified.”

Mr. Botchway stated that the GFP will wait until after Madam Akua Donkor’s funeral before initiating the process of selecting a new leader.

The EC’s disqualification of Mr Kubi, announced by EC Chairperson Jean Mensa during an emergency Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Tuesday, follows a review of his nomination form. 

The EC cited both errors and “illegalities,” noting that the party had used voters from different districts to represent other districts.

Mrs Mensa further stated that the disqualification of the GFP’s candidate does not necessitate any alterations to the ballot order, as preparations for the election are well underway. She shared that presidential ballots are already 90 percent printed, emphasising the Commission’s commitment to a smooth and timely process.

“We are here to inform you of the Commission’s decision to maintain the presidential ballot as it is,” Mrs Mensa told party representatives.