Ghana’s upcoming December elections took a major step forward on Monday, September 9, 2024, as several presidential candidates officially submitted their nomination forms to the Electoral Commission (EC) headquarters in Accra.

Dr. Hassan Ayariga of the All People’s Congress (APC), Samuel Apea-Danquah of Yellow Ghana, independent candidate George Twum Barima Adu, and Nana Kwame Bediako, also known as Cheddar, were among the hopefuls who filed their nomination, each positioning themselves for a chance to lead the country.

Following his submission, Dr. Hassan Ayariga reflected on his past experience with the EC, claiming vindication after the removal of former EC Chairperson Charlotte Osei, who had disqualified him from the 2016 elections over alleged inconsistencies in his nomination signatures.

Mr. Ayariga argued that his disqualification was politically motivated and maintained that natural variations in signatures should not be used to exclude candidates.

“This is someone who contested in 2012, filled the forms himself, and qualified,” Dr. Ayariga said, expressing his renewed confidence in the current EC leadership.

He continued that: “In 2016, the disqualification was based on differences in signature, and I wrote to Madam Charlotte then that signatories were not rubber stamps that you can have it perfectly. People are bound to make some curves in their signatory, and you cannot use that to disqualify people."

He added: "I was vindicated by my statement against her, and that’s why she is not the EC Chair again, and we have a new one. We are here to support any Commissioner to make sure that Ghana is a better place for us, and that we elect a free, fair, and transparent president. This process should be fair, it’s already free and should be fair and transparent."

Earlier in the day, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), also submitted his nomination forms.

Accompanied by his wife, Samira Bawumia, his running mate, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, and his wife, Alma Pokua Adade-Prempeh, the party's National Chairman, Stephen Ntim, General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong, and other senior NPP officials, Dr. Bawumia emphasised the importance of maintaining calm and unity throughout the electoral process.