The Electoral Commission (EC) has denied allegations that its criteria for disqualifying some candidates from contesting in the upcoming presidential polls was based on favouritism.
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 decision left only Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ivor Kobina Greenstreet of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) and Jacob Osei Yeboah, an independent candidate as the qualified candidates.
Of the four qualified candidates, that of the CPP's Ivor Kobina Greenstreet has become a subject of contention considering the fact that the party's banker's draft was not received at a later time than the midday deadline the Commission had stipulated.
READ MORE:Â CPP in limbo as EC closes nominations for Dec 7 polls
This, according to some of the parties whose candidates have been disqualified including the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), United Front Party (UFP) and the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), showed the EC had favourites they wanted on the ballot sheet.
But speaking on Asempa FM's Ekosii Sen on Wednesday, spokesperson for the Commission, Eric Dzakpasu debunked the assertions saying the "we did not favour any political party. We just applied the law strictly and fully".
According to him, there was not going to be a shift in position regarding the disqualifications.
"We are now focusing on the elections. The disqualification decision still holds", he stated.