At an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, announced that, despite the passing of Akua Donkor, the founder of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) and the disqualification of Philip Appiah Kubi, her replacement flagbearer, the Commission would not reorder the ballot.
She contends that this decision is focused on preventing any delays and avoiding the extra financial burden that could arise from reprinting the presidential ballot papers.
Jean Mensa also noted that the Electoral Commission would launch a comprehensive public awareness campaign to inform voters not to vote for Akua Donkor.
However, in an interview with GhanaWeb TV, some Ghanaians expressed disappointment with the EC’s decision, raising concerns that retaining Akua Donkor’s name on the ballot could mislead voters and disrupt the election process. They urged the Commission to reconsider and reprint the ballots to ensure a clear and fair process.
“The EC has to do something about it. Right now, I can say that the battle is for only five people. It doesn’t matter if Akua Donkor’s picture is on it or not. The EC has to sit down and make a proper decision so that everyone will be satisfied. If we continue, reprinting will bring a lot of confusion to this country, so we should continue with the current process. If Bawumia is at the top, they should stick with that criteria,” one person stated.
Another individual re-echoed calls for the EC to reprint the ballot papers, stressing the need for the EC to have a contingency plan.
“They have already incurred costs. I don’t see how removing her will cause another mess. They shouldn’t do something that favours only themselves; they should learn to do the right thing. She is a Ghanaian, and the EC should always think twice when handling these issues. They knew it would go their way; they should have a backup plan,” they added.
Others questioned why a deceased person’s image would be on the ballot paper.
“For me, I think it is not a good thing. The person is dead, and I don’t think a dead person should be on the ballot paper. We understand that people who are deceased have their names removed from the register. How much more someone who is vying for the presidency? I don’t think she should be left on the ballot. They should do the right thing,” another person said.
A further comment emphasised, “The woman paid the filing fees, so if she is dead, they (the EC) should reprint the ballot paper.”
“I also think her image should not appear on the ballot paper since she is dead. If possible, they should cover her image so that it is not visible,” one individual shared.
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