The Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) has been officially disqualified from participating in the upcoming 2024 presidential election, according to an announcement from the Electoral Commission (EC). This decision means that the printing of the presidential ballot papers will proceed as scheduled, with no alterations to the candidate positions.
Akua Donkor, who was the GFP’s original presidential candidate, tragically passed away on October 28, 2024, at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital. Following her death, the EC granted the GFP until November 8, 2024, to select a replacement candidate.
In response, the GFP nominated Philip Appiah Kubi, known widely as Roman Fada, as Akua Donkor’s successor for the presidential race. However, upon reviewing Kubi’s nomination, the EC discovered irregularities in the submitted forms. The rules stipulate that each presidential candidate must have their nomination endorsed by two registered voters from every district. In Kubi’s case, the EC identified that the forms contained endorsements from voters registered in districts other than those represented, a violation that rendered the submission invalid.
As a result, the EC has confirmed that all ballots cast in favor of the GFP will be nullified and not counted. However, Akua Donkor’s image and the party symbol will still appear on the ballot in the third position, as it is too late to modify the layout.
This announcement was made by EC Chairperson Mrs. Jean Mensa during an emergency Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Tuesday, November 12. With the disqualification now finalized, the EC is set to move forward with printing the ballot papers, unaffected by the GFP’s ineligibility.
