Uncertainty over GFP’s candidature in Dec.7 polls

There is uncertainty over the participation of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) in the December 7 presidential election after two officials of the party wrote contrasting letters to the Electoral Commission (EC) about the party’s continued interest in the contest.

While the General Secretary of the party,George Afful, wrote to the EC last Monday indicating the nomination of Philip Appiah Kubi as the new presidential candidate of the party, a
second letter by the National Organiser of the party, Richard Botchway, informed the EC of the party’s decision to withdraw from the race. Amid the apparent uncertainty, the EC yesterday received the relevant forms of the party that named Philip Appiah Kubi as the new presidential candidate of the party for the December 7 elections.

The procedure became necessary following the demise of the party’s original presidential candidate,Akua Donkor,on October 28,2024.

The EC consequently gave the party 10 days to file a new candidate for the position if it desired to remain in the race.

Letters

On Monday,November 4,2024, the General Secretary of the party,George Afful,wrote to the EC,informing it that the party had nominated Mr Appiah
Kubi, popularly known as Roman Fada, who was the running mate of Ms Donkor, as the party’s presidential candidate for the elections. 

“I hereby write to inform the commission that the party has duly nominated Philip Appiah Kubi to replace our late presidential candidate
for the 2024 elections. 

“His name is hereby submitted to the commission in line with your request,” Mr Afful’s letter stated.

Within 24 hours of Mr Afful’s letter, Mr Botchway wrote separately to the EC indicating that the National Executive Committee of the party had decided to withdraw from the December
parliamentary and presidential elections.

“This decision, irrespective of how difficult it may be,has been reached to posthumously honour the commitment and sacrifices by our late founder and presidential candidate as the only
person to send her candidature to the grave.

“We are by this letter formally informing the commission of our intention not to participate in the elections.

Any inconvenience this decision may have caused the commission and its calendar for the December 7 elections is deeply regretted,” the letter said.

Both letters were confirmed by the Daily Graphic to be authentic. As of press time yesterday, sources within the EC indicated that the elections management body would make its decision on the matter known by tomorrow, Thursday, November 7, 2024.

It said the EC placed premium on the earlier letter submitted by the party’s General Secretary,and therefore the Commission was going by that.

The sources added that the commission would vet the new presidential nominee of the party to see whether he met the criteria or not.

Implications

Meanwhile two governance and elections watchers have observed that the state will incur extra cost if the GFP decides to replace its presidential candidate on the ballot paper for the
2024 general election. 

The two — the Director for Policy Engagement and Partnerships at the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Dr Kojo Asante,and the National Coordinator of the Coalition for Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), Albert Arhin — expressed the view in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic earlier.

Both Dr Asante and Mr Arhin observed that the EC had already invested heavily in printing ballots for over 18 million voters, adding that “If the GFP decides to replace their presidential candidate, the ballots would need to be reprinted, adding to the expense”.

They argued that once the party had secured the number three position on the presidential ballot paper it would not change.

The EC suspended the printing of the 2024 presidential ballot papers following the demise of the presidential candidate of the GFP,Akua Donkor,on October 28, 2024 when the printing of the ballots for the elections was ongoing.