13 candidates qualify to contest 2024 elections – EC

The Electoral Commission (EC) has officially cleared 13 candidates to contest the 2024 presidential election, with nine representing political parties and four running as independent candidates.

The 13 candidates include flagbearers of the two leading parties, NPP and NDC, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and John Dramani Mahama.

Others are CPP’s Nana Akosua Frimpomaa, Alan John Kojo Kyerematen, and Nana Kwame Bediako, also known as Cheddar.

In a statement on Friday, September 20, the EC said that it had conducted a thorough examination of nomination forms submitted by candidates from September 9th to 13th, 2024, to ensure legal compliance, and subsequently cleared the 13.

“Following the successful conduct of the filing of nominations from the 9th of September to the 13th of September, 2024, the commission instituted a thorough examination of the nomination forms submitted by the candidates to ensure conformity with requirements as set out in law,”  the statement said.

“The Electoral Commission wishes to inform the general public that the following persons have successfully gone through the nomination process and qualify to contest as candidates in the 2024 Presidential Election,”  it added.

Although 39 individuals initially picked up passcodes to enable them to complete and file the presidential nomination forms, only 24 submitted their completed forms by the close of business on Friday, September 13, 2024.

Of the 24 aspirants who submitted their nomination forms, 11 have been disqualified. The disqualified candidates include Janet Asana Nabla, an independent aspirant; Bernard Mornah of the PNC; Kofi Asamoah Siaw of the PPP; Samuel Apea-Danquah; Desmond Abrefah; Nana Stephens Adjepong; Paul Perkoh; James Kwesi Oppong; John Enyonam Kwakwu Kpikpi; Dr. Samuel Sampong Ankrah; and Nii Amu Darko.

According to the EC’s electoral calendar, the balloting for positions on the presidential ballot paper is scheduled for Monday, September 23, 2024, with the parliamentary election ballot taking place the following day, Tuesday, September 24, 2024.