Ghana Freedom Party’s (GFP), Presidential Nominee finally managed to offer her running mate, 32-year-old Mrs. Patricia Asante alias Yaa Asante on Monday but her choice might just not hold.
The 1992 constitution is the impediment in Madam Akua Donkor’s way as the document conducting Ghana’s national life stipulates that a Vice Presidential Candidate for election must be 40 years or above.
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs. Charlotte Osei, after 17 candidates filed their nomination papers initially stated that it would take 5 days to vet the aspirants but with the Progressive People’s Party interlocutory injunction, there is no certainty about when vetted aspirants could appear on the ballot.
Article 60(3) of the constitution states: "The provisions of article 62 of this Constitution apply to a candidate for election as Vice-President."
Article 62 states: "A person shall not be qualified for election as the President of Ghana unless... (b) he has attained the age of forty years.
On the position on duties of a Vice President Article 60 of the constitution states that: “
(1) There shall be a Vice-President of Ghana who shall perform such functions as may be assigned to him by this Constitution or by the President.
(2) A candidate for the office of Vice-President shall be designated by the candidate for the office of President before the election of President.
(3) The provisions of article 62 of this Constitution apply to a candidate for election as Vice-President.
(4) A candidate shall be deemed to be duly elected as Vice-President if the candidate who designated him as candidate for election to the office of Vice-President has been duly elected as President in accordance with the provisions of article 63 of this Constitution.
Article 62 of the constitution on its part states that a person shall not be qualified for election as the President of Ghana unless -
(a) he is a citizen of Ghana by birth;
(b) he has attained the age of forty years; and
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(c) he is a person who is otherwise qualified to be elected a Member of Parliament, except that the disqualifications set out in paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of clause (2) of article 94 of this Constitution shall not be removed, in respect of any such person, by a presidential pardon or by the lapse of time as provided for in clause (5) of that article.