Order EC to put me back on the ballot – Kofi Koranteng to Nana Addo

One of the five presidential aspirants disqualified by the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) from contesting the December 7 elections has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to direct the Commission to place him back in the race.

Kofi Koranteng said he must be given a “sensible” opportunity to correct his errors to be back on the ballot for the polls.

Mr Koranteng was on Monday, October 19 disqualified by the EC over errors with his nomination forms, among other infractions that have been reported to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.

His filing fee of GH¢100,000 was promised by the Chair of the EC, Jean Mensa, to be paid back to him and the other four disqualified aspirants – Marricke Kofi Gane, Akwasi Addai Odike, Nana Agyenim Boateng, and Kwasi Busumbru.

But addressing journalists on Thursday, October 29, 10 days after being disqualified, Mr Koranteng expressed suspicion that the Commission manipulated to have him removed from the race.

He said he had had a bust-up with the Commission in the past, when he led the Progressive Alliance Movement in calling for Ghanaians in the diaspora to be allowed to vote as per the Representation of the People’s Law (ROPAL).

He asked the EC to afford him the same opportunity they begged from Ghanaians when they encountered errors in the compilation of the electoral roll.

“As a candidate, I will like to be given the same fair, sensible opportunity to correct the minor errors in the paperwork of my campaign,” he demanded.

“Recently, President Nana Addo [Dankwa Akufo-Addo] reiterated a line from my platform saying that Ghana is a beacon of democracy for Africa.

“If the sitting president honestly believes that, then it is incumbent on him to direct the EC to work with my campaign to correct the minor paper work errors to place my name back on the ballot.”