Disqualified presidential aspirant, Mr. Akwasi Addai Odike, has blamed his elimination on the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The United Progressive Party (UPP) flagbearer says the ruling party, in collaboration with the Electoral Commission (EC), deliberately engineered his disqualification on the basis of ethnocentrism.

“Information reaching my office is that the EC and the NPP are doing everything within their might to disqualify me because of where I hail from and my party colours,” he said.

Mr. Addai also claims in an interview with JoyNews that his office was in anticipation of the setback because the NPP collaborated with former EC boss, Charlotte Osei in 2016 to disqualify him from the Presidential race.

The EC explains that the disqualification of the other 4 presidential aspirants, namely, independent candidates Kofi Koranteng and Marricke Kofi Gane, Kwesi Busumburu of the People’s National Party (PNP) and the United Front Party’s (UFP) Agyenim Boateng was as a result of alleged forgery of signatures and the manufacturing of endorsees.

However, Mr. Addai vehemently disagrees and maintains that his endorsements are genuine. He called out NPP members like Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko for “micro-managing” the EC.

“There is nothing like fake signature. All the people who endorsed me have called me to say the EC called them to authenticate whether or not they endorsed me, so I am aware of everything.

“But so many media people told me before the EC’s announcement that I will be disqualified because the NPP doesn’t want me to partake in this election” he added.

Meanwhile, the EC explained that the alleged forgery cases will be forwarded to the Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further probe.

The GHS100,000 filing fee will also be refunded to the said candidates in line with the rules surrounding the process.

Head of Public Relations at the EC, Mrs. Sylvia Annoh, tells JoyNews that there will be no opportunity for appeal by the disqualified Presidential aspirants.