IPP sues EC; demands disqualification of Kofi Akpaloo reversed

The flagbearer of the Independent People’s Party (IPP), Kofi Akpaloo has sued the Electoral Commission over his disqualification from the December 7 presidential race.

Mr Kofi Akpaloo was disqualified from the because the number of subscribers to Mr Akpaloo’s forms did not meet the requirements of Regulation 7 (2) (b) of CI 94.

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According to Mrs Charlotte Osei, the Commission was unable to accept Mr Akpaloo giving reasons that “Three subscribers supported the nomination of another candidate in breach of Regulation 7 (4) of CI 94. Again, the cross subscribers have different signatures on the nomination forms raising questions as to the legitimacy of these signatures.”

These are: Alfred Yevuglo (page 35) with Voter ID no: 1270013632 of Polling station code: D091201; Dagadu Raymond (page 35) with Voter ID no: 1270012857 of Polling station code: D091201; and Adu Thomas (page 67) with Voter ID no: 3703013114 of Polling station code: F310202.

“We will refer the matter of the possible forgeries of these signatures to the Ghana Police Service and the Attorney General for investigation and prosecution in line with the following sections of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29),” she said.

However, Mr Akpaloo in defence of his suit on Tuesday said, “We are asking the court to put me back on the list of presidential nominees because she [Mrs Charlotte Osei] didn’t give me the opportunity to explain to her why these three [subscribers] genuinely signed for me... To me she erred, it wasn’t right, the people genuinely signed for me."

He has also descended heavily on Mrs Charlotte Osei describing her as incompetent person who is not qualified to hold her position.

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He said “The EC work is bigger than Charlotte Osei. She cannot do the work. She is always in a hurry to execute her given task. She is not using the law that regulates the elections properly and this clearly shows that she is incompetent. Mahama must ask her to resign.”