The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has endorsed the decision by the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) to sue the Electoral Commission over what the parties have described as high filing fees for presidential and parliamentary nominees.
There has been a 500 percent increase in the filing fees for presidential nominees between 2012 and 2016.
The PPP has, thus, sued the EC and has, among other things, prayed the court to declare the filing fees as “arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable.”
Communications Director of the CPP, Kadir Abdul Rauf Issifu, told Citi News they will also independently continue to oppose the fee hikes until the EC reviews it downwards.
“As a political party, the CPP has raised its voice against the exorbitant filing fees and we have also stated on occasional instances that we are going to oppose it using every means possible so if the PPP chose to go to court, which is also a legitimate means I do not think that they should be any qualms with that.”
“We will encourage them so to do, and that we would also add up our own strategies in our own ways to ensure that the Electoral Commission brings down the cut throat filing fees. I am telling you that it is a democracy, they have chosen that path and that path is legitimate so let them pursue it. We do not have difficulty with that. We would also use all the resources and all the channels available to express and register our displeasure until the Electoral Commission does the right thing by bringing down the fees,” he added.
EC to consider review of filing fees
The court action comes few days after the EC said it will soon meet to consider whether or not to review amounts.
The commission has been bashed for pegging filing fees for presidential and parliamentary nominees at GHC50,000 and GHC10,000 respectively.
Some of the parties including the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have expressed reservations about the amount, saying it would only limit the electioneering process to a privileged few.
15 presidential aspirants pick nomination forms
So far, About 15 presidential nominees have picked up nomination forms to contest the December 7 polls, and are expected to pay the fees when they return the filled forms.
They comprise 13 political parties and two independent candidates.
The parties are: the Democratic People’s Party (DPP), the All People’s Party (APP), the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), the United Development System Party (UDSP), the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the National Democratic Party (NDP), the United Love Party (ULP).
The rest are, the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Independent People’s Party (IPP), the United Progressive Party (UPP), the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) and the united Front Party (UFP).
Sign up for Ghana Star News to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
