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 argues that featuring Akua Donkor’s image on the ballot may mislead voters and impact the election’s outcome. At a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, November 13, he expressed concern that the presence of the deceased candidate’s image could lead to confusion and disputes regarding the election results.
“Having a ballot paper with Akua Donkor’s picture will create many problems in the country. People may accidentally vote for her, even though we all know she is not alive,” Mr. Akpaloo stated. “Are we going to disregard the votes cast for her, or will they be counted? We want to avoid a situation where a losing candidate challenges the results based on narrow margins.”
The LPG flagbearer also questioned the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision not to reprint the ballots, arguing that if a new flagbearer for the GFP had been approved, the EC would have reprinted the ballots accordingly. He suggested that allowing Akua Donkor’s image to remain on the ballot could set a troubling precedent for future elections.
“Keeping her image on the ballot raises serious questions about the integrity of the electoral process and will certainly affect voter perceptions,” he argued. He emphasized that the EC should prioritize electoral integrity over financial concerns if a reprint is necessary.
The EC has not yet responded to Mr. Akpaloo’s concerns, which adds to the ongoing discussion regarding the upcoming December election. “They should forget about the money involved; let’s do the right thing to ensure 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 re-balloting. It’s similar to the parliamentary arrangement. If a party is not presenting a candidate in a particular constituency, that position is removed and adjusted accordingly. The same principle applies here. Since the GFP is not contesting this election, we simply need to remove their portion and fill the vacancy.”
Although Mr. Akpaloo was not present at the recent Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting, he stated that his General Secretary raised these concerns, but they were not addressed by the EC. He added that he is considering seeking legal action regarding the EC’s decision.
