The New Patriotic Party presidential (NDC) presidential aspirant, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has obtained presidential nomination forms to contest the 2016 general polls. The NPP National Organiser, John Boadu, picked the form, which cost GH¢50,000 form, Wednesday afternoon, after following all the necessary protocols, on behalf of Nana Akufo-Addo, at the head office of the Electoral Commission (EC), last Wednesday in Accra. Mr Boadu said that notwithstanding the incumbency advantage of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), governing party, Nana Akufo-Addo remained the man to beat in the December 7 polls.
The National Organiser said Nana Akufo-Addo’s campaign message has dominated discussions in the media, adding that some of the NPP flagbearer’s promises had found space in the NDC manifesto, the content of which was highlighted by President John Mahama, the NDC flagbearer on Tuesday. Mr Boadu said he found it rather interesting how the President promised election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), if retained in office.
“Consistent with the NDC, they have never believed in the elections of MMDCEs. I don’t know what has changed. Is it because Nana Addo has said he will do it?”, Mr Boadu asked. The filing fee for the presidential contest has been a subject of controversy in the political terrain in Ghana with a number of the political parties lamenting the cost.
Presidential aspirants are expected to pay ¢50,000 whilst parliamentary candidates pay ¢10,000. Per the regulations, presidential aspirants, who are able to obtain more than 25 per cent of the votes in the December 7 elections, would have their monies refunded to them.
Parliamentary aspirants would also have their monies refunded only when they are able to obtain more than 12.5 per cent of the votes. Given the experience of previous elections, it is only candidates of the two leading political parties, the NDC and the NPP, who are able to exceed the percentage of votes and have had their monies refunded to them.
Mr Boadu said the filing fee was outrageously high and that even though the law gives the EC the right to fix the fee, it must do so with an eye of “reasonability and affordability.” He said for bigger parties who are able to exceed the percentage votes, they will always have their monies refunded, but cautioned the EC not to use filing fee as a punitive measure.
Mr Boadu said unlike internal parties, who fix their filing fees at a higher rate in order for them to raise money to run internal elections, the EC already has the state paying for its activities and does not understand why they should be pegging the fee at such a high rate. He said the NPP would in principle support anybody who would contest the EC’s fee in court. However, the governing NDC said it would not comment on the administrative duties of the EC. The NDC National Organiser and Coordinator of party’s campaign, Mr Kofi Adams, said the fee was not really a bother to the NDC because their contestants would get their monies back.
George Agyemang
