Obey your own rules – High Court to EC

An Accra High Court has asked Ghana's Electoral Commission to adhere to its own rules in the conduct of the 2016 general elections.

The court made the remark when it gave a judgment in a case brought by the Progressive People's Party (PPP) which was challenging the disqualification of its flagbearer, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom form this year's presidential race.

The EC disqualified the PPP flagbearer because according to it Nduom's nomination forms were not properly completed.

But lawyers of the PPP argued in court that the EC did not give them the chance to correct the errors on their flagbearer’s nomination forms.

They had also prayed the court to stop the EC from going ahead with balloting of presidential candidates on the ballot paper.

Meanwhile the court presided over by Justice Eric Kyei Baffour on Friday ordered the EC to give the PPP the chance to make the necessary corrections on the nomination forms.

Citi News' Fred Djabanor reported that “according to the judge, the regulations, C.I. 94 [the law governing the conduct of the 2016 elections] states clearly that if there is an error within the nomination period or nomination day, any candidate must be afforded the opportunity to correct his error.”

“The judge further said the EC failed to state clearly what a nomination period was and that what they only did was to just use two days for acceptance of nominations. He said the EC also failed to define what a nomination day and nomination period was…hence the EC couldn't disqualify Dr. Nduom based on that,” added Djabanor.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin