A governance expert says the Electoral Commission (EC)’s decision to reject the nomination of 13 presidential aspirants could take a heavy psychological toll on some of the candidates.
David Agbe, who is the Executive Director of Ghana Institute of Governance and Security, is suggesting that a Psychologist may be needed to prevent possible mental effects of the disqualification on the aspirants from December polls.
Mr. Agbe says the likes of Papa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People Party (PPP), Edward Mahama of the People’s National Convention (PNC) and Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP) should not have been among the 13 presidential aspirants disqualified.
Speaking on news analysis programme, PM Express on the Joy News channel on Multi TV, Monday, Mr. Agbe said perhaps the presidential aspirant most likely to feel the painful throb of the disqualification would be Mrs. Rawlings.
“I seriously sympathise with her. We should get her some Psychologist to be able to really cancel her because it is a difficult situation for her as we speak. It is not easy.
“The last time that I heard her speak, she was saying that this time, she is going to make sure that everything goes on successful so that the Electoral Commission does not disqualify her so it is surprising for all of us to also pick the note the note that she has actually been disqualified again.
“It saddens some of us that this lady wanted to achieve her aim but the electoral system has actually not permitted her,” he said.
The EC in a dramatic turn of events rejected the nominations of 13 of 17 presidential aspirants hoping to contest the December 7 polls.
Chairperson of the Commission, Charlotte Osei said at a press conference at its head quarters that the disqualified aspirants could not meet the criteria for filing as presidential candidates.
The Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), United Progressive Party (UPP), Reformed Patriotic Democrats (RPD), Progressive People’s Party (PPP), and the Great Consolidated People’s Party (GCPP), United Front Party (UFP), All People’s Congress (APC) and the Independent People’s Party (IPP) were turned disallowed from contesting the elections.
Related story: Read: EC’s reasons for rejecting all 13 presidential aspirants
The only four presidential candidates, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (New Patriotic Party, NPP), President John Mahama (National Democratic Congress, NDC) , Ivor Kobina Greenstreet (Convention People’s Party, CPP)and an independent candidate, Jacob Yeboah, were approved by the commission to contest the December polls.
Speaking on PM Express Monday evening, Mr. Agbe said although the EC applied law, it had a duty to engage the parties before the disqualification.
“The Electoral Commission should have advised some of these people to do the right thing, rather than use the technical law to just remove them like that. For me I am not comfortable with it at all,” he said.
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