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George Afriyie’s disqualification appeal thrown out by GFA’s Appeals Committee

George Afriyie’s disqualification from the upcoming Ghana Football Association (GFA) presidential elections has been upheld by the Appeals Committee of the GFA.

George Afriyie’s disqualification appeal thrown out by GFA’s Appeals Committee

A ruling from the Committee dated September 15, 2023, said Afriyie did not meet the requirements on his nomination form, which was the basis for his disqualification by the Elections Committee.

Earlier this month, the Elections Committee said the football administrator failed to provide the required number of GFA members to endorse his candidature.

The Committee said he used an unqualified person – Jeffrey Asare – to endorse his nomination forms and it was later found out that Asare wasn’t a Director at Victory Club Warriors FC as he had claimed on the forms.

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In his appeal, Afriyie, a former GFA vice president, argued that he had six GFA members to endorse his form, but the Appeals Committee said only five endorsements were allowed.

He also argued that the Committee didn't apply Article 8(3) of the FA regulations on elections, and also six-panel members during his vetting instead of the mandated five.

However, the Appeals Committee still upheld his disqualification, clarifying that the sixth member was not part of the panel and was an in-house lawyer providing administrative assistance to the Committee.

“George Kwasi Afriyie was properly disqualified by the Elections Committee In resolving this issue, we shall not be following the extensive grounds of appeal contained in the notice of appeal filed by Mr. George Kwasi Afriyie,” a section of the Appeal’s Committee’s ruling said.

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It concluded: “The invalidity of any document submitted cannot be cured by reference to Article 8(3) of the Elections Regulations. Indeed, if Mr. George Kwasi Afriyie had submitted an invalid Tax Clearance certificate or an invalid Police Clearance certificate, it would have made his nomination invalid.

“George Kwasi Afriyie's nomination was supported by only four members of the GFA and therefore his nomination is not valid. In the circumstances, we shall dismiss the appeal.”

George Afriyie’s disqualification means incumbent GFA president Kurt Okraku will run unopposed in the upcoming presidential elections.

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