Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Tertiary Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has supported the Electoral Commission's (EC) decision to disqualify some applicants from contesting in the December 7 presidential elections saying the EC was just going by the regulations.
The EC on Monday announced the disqualification of twelve candidates from the upcoming polls citing aberrations on the nomination forms ranging from false declarations by subscribers, inability to get required number of endorsements, wrongful signatures to outright failure of the candidates to complete the forms while a thirteenth candidate, Akwasi Addae 'Odike' was given up till Friday to settle a dispute with his party or face a similar fate.
The disqualified candidates including, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), Hassan Ayariga of the All Peoples Congress (APC), Dr Edward Mahama of Peoples National Convention (PNC), Dr Henry Lartey of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings of National Democratic Party (NDP), and Akua Donkor of Ghana Freedom Party (GFP).
The rest are Nana Agyenim Boateng of the United Freedom Party (UFP), Thomas Nuako Ward-Brew of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), Richard Nixon Tetteh of the United Systems Development of the Party (USDP), Kofi Apaloo of the Independent Peoples Party (IPP), Kwabena Adjei of the Reformed Patriotic Democrats (RPD), and  Kwame Asiedu Walker, an independent candidate.
With the exception on Madam Akua Donkor, who has accepted the EC's decision and declared her support for President John Mahama, all the disqualified candidates have expressed their dissatisfaction and have threatened to seek redress in court.
But speaking on Joy FM's Super Morning Show, Mr Ablakwa stated that "it is a difficult thing that after all the monies spent, you are disqualified only two months to elections but we should not leave things to chance. We need to follow the requirements to the letter".
"The EC did not just formulate these laws. These are laws agreed on by the people", he added.
According to him, "some of the candidates were too careless, so they deserve the disqualification".
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