The Electoral Commission has set the filing fee for the Ejisu by-election at GHS10,000.00. This follows its earlier announcement that the by-election will take place on April 30, 2024.
A statement released containing the guidelines for candidates states that “A Candidate shall at the time of submitting his/her completed Nomination Forms, provide the Returning Officer with two (2) copies of a recent postcard (bust sized) photograph against a red background, showing his/her full face and ears. The filing fee for the election is Ten Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH10,000.00) per candidate. All completed Nomination Forms are expected to be delivered in quadruplicate.”
According to the EC statement, nominations will close on April 18, 2024, at 5: 00 pm but interested candidates can access the forms from today, April 9, 2024, on the Commission’s website.
“In accordance with Article 112 (5) of the Constitution, as amended, the Electoral Commission will hold a By-Election in the Constituency on Tuesday, the 30th of April, 2024. Accordingly, the Commission will receive Nominations from prospective Candidates for the Election of a Member of Parliament for the said Constituency. The Nominations will be received at the Ejisu District Office of the Commission from 16th April 2024 to 18th April 2024 between the hours of 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm on each day.
“Interested candidates are required to download the Nomination Forms from the Commission’s website (www.ec.gov.gh) from 9th April 2024 to 18th April 2024.
“A prospective Candidate may personally deliver or cause to be delivered on his/her behalf by either the Proposer or Seconder of his/her Nomination, the completed Nomination Forms to the Returning Officer at the Ejisu District Office of the Commission on the dates and times stated above.”
“The Nomination Forms for each Candidate shall be witnessed by the signature or mark of two registered voters as Proposer and Seconder, and supported by eighteen other registered voters in the Constituency as assenting to the nomination.”
Political parties begin race…
So far, the NPP has begun preparation for the election with the party’s primary set for April 13 to select one person from nine aspirants. The NDC on the other hand is doubtful of its participation though its Ashanti Regional Secretariat said they will not be involved. Mr. Isham Alhassan, the party’s regional organizer told Class FM, that the party will not participate.
His comments come days after the party’s Deputy General Secretary Mustapha Gbande said the party was yet to make a decision.
“We all have to exercise restraint and look forward as the party comes up with the conversations that will lead up to a decision that will be in the best interest of the part; a decision that will give all of us the victory and expectation that we want.
“As of now, we are not there yet so we encourage party members to continue to work with structures of the party on the ground in anticipation of whatever will come from national,” he told Citi News.