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The Electoral Commission (EC) has reassured of its commitment to hold a free, fair and transparent election in December stating that it does not have the power to determine who wins election in Ghana.
Addressing the press on Friday, September 20, Mrs Jean Mensa, the Chairperson of the Commission, stated that its sole role is to serve as an unbiased referee over the exercise on December 7, 2024.
“We as a commission do not have the power to determine who wins the elections. It is not in our control to determine the outcome of the elections. The power indeed lies with the good people of our dear country.
“It is only the citizens alone who can determine who should lead them and not the Electoral Commission. It is the candidate who is given power to lead this country by the citizens who will be declared the president of the Republic of Ghana by the Electoral Commission come December 7, 2024,” she said.
Meanwhile, the 13 presidential candidates for the polls have started marketing their positions on the ballot paper with varying interpretations following the successful balloting exercise after the Commissioner announced those who have sailed through.
Eleven other candidates were disqualified. They are Bernard Mornah, PNC, Kofi Asamoah Siaw, PPP, and Janet Asana Nabla, Nana Stephens Adjepong, Paul Perkoh, James Kwesi Oppong, John Enyonam Kwakwu Kpikpi, Dr Samuel Sampong Ankrah, Nii Amu Darko, Samuel Apea-Danquah, and Desmond Abrefah, all independent candidates.
Using numerological interpretations, the successful candidates believe the numbers they have picked have special luck to propel them to victory.
Having secured the first position on the ballot, the NPP thinks the placing of their candidate, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, signifies leadership, victory and makes the position marketable.
The NDC, however, believes their eighth position on the ballot gives an indication of the party’s readiness to break the NPP’s dream of breaking the eight-year governance jinx.
The Movement for Change, whose candidate, John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, will be 13th on the ballot believes the well-known ‘ase3 ho’ slogan resonates with the voting population and would not be difficult to sell to voters.
On the ballot, Dr Bawumia would be number 1, Daniel Augustus Lartey, Great Consolidated Popular Party 2, Madam Akua Donkor, Ghana Freedom Party, 3, Christian Kwabena Andrews, Ghana Union Movement, 4, Kofi Akpaloo, Liberal Party of Ghana, 5.
Others are Mohammed Frimpong, National Democratic Party, 6, Nana Akosua Frimpomaa Kumankuma, Convention Peoples Party, 7, Mr Mahama, 8 and Hassan Ayariga, All Peoples Congress, 9.
The rest, Mr Kofi Koranteng, 10, George Twum-Barima-Adu, 11, Nana Kwame Bediako, 12 and Mr Kyerematen, 13 are all contesting as independent candidates.
“We came here (for the balloting) asking for God’s perfect will to be done and we accept the number eight. After eight critical years of decay, after eight years of total lack of order, corruption and darkness that has engulfed this country, I think the eight is quite significant to tell the country that this is the moment to stop the decay after the eight years,” Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the NDC’s General Secretary, told the media after the exercise.
For the NPP’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, “what is written is written. No. 1 will break the eight.” He wrote on Facebook shortly after the balloting.
The CPP’s candidate, Madam Kumankuma, believes the number seven signifies wholeness and would propel the party to the seat of government for the first time since 1966.
It is the Biblical trinity for Madam Akua Donkor who picked the number three spot on the ballot with Mr Ayariga interpreting his ninth position as the striker in a game of football to score the political goal to ascend to the presidential seat.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
