The presidential candidate of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Kofi Akpaloo, has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to reprint the presidential ballot papers for the 2024 elections, expressing concerns over the inclusion of the late Akua Donkor, former candidate of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP).
Mr. Akpaloo contends that featuring Akua Donkor’s image on the ballot could mislead voters and affect the outcome of the election.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, November 13, he argued that the deceased candidate’s appearance could lead to confusion and potential disputes over the results.
“Having a ballot paper with Akua Donkor’s picture is going to create a whole lot of problems in the country. People are going to vote for Akua Donkor, of whom we are all aware that she is not alive,” Mr. Akpaloo stated. “Are we going to say that those votes cast for her will be ignored, or are they going to be counted? We don’t want a situation where a losing candidate might challenge the results because of percentages.”
The LPG flagbearer also questioned the EC’s decision not to reprint ballots, noting that if a new GFP flagbearer had been approved, the EC would have reprinted the ballots to reflect the change. He suggested that allowing Akua Donkor’s image to remain on the ballot could set a problematic precedent for future elections.
“Leaving her image on the ballot raises questions about the electoral process’s integrity and would certainly affect voter perceptions,” he argued. He further pointed out that the EC should not be deterred by financial concerns if the reprint is necessary to uphold electoral integrity.
The EC has yet to respond to Mr. Akpaloo’s call, which adds to the discourse around the upcoming December election.
“They should forget about the money involved, let’s do the right thing that would create a peaceful environment in this country,” he said.
He further argued that there would be no need for re-balloting.
“No, we don’t need the re-ballloting. It’s like when you take the Parliamentary arrangement. If a party is not presenting a candidate in a particular constituency, that place is removed and it is pushed up, so the same thing applies here. So far as they (GFP) are not contesting this election, all that we have to do is take their portion out and push the position up”.
He said although he was not personally present at yesterday’s Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting, his General Secretary raised these concerns but they were not heeded to by the EC.
Mr. Akpaloo added that he was considering seeking legal redress over the EC’s decision.