EC revokes registration certificates of 17 political parties
Following a prior notice by the Electoral Commission of Ghana on the 13th and 17th of October, 2022 to the general populace on the revocation of the registration certificates of some 17 political parties, the EC has finally struck-out those parties in line with Section 15(3) (c) of the political parties law, 2000(Act 574) effective November 1, 2022.
The revocation of the registration certificates of the 17 political parties is contained in a publication made by the EC in the national dailies on Monday, November 14, 2022.
Background Story
The Electoral Commission (EC) has listed 17 political parties who have no regional and national presence and therefore risk having their registrations cancelled.
The EC has therefore given the 17 political parties up to Thursday, October 20, 2022 to show proof why their registrations should not be cancelled under the Politicall Parties Act of 2000, Act 574.
The parties include the United Progressive Party (UPP) formed and being led by Kumasi based Akwasi Addae, popularly known as Odike.
Another casualty is the United Front Party (UFP), which was also formed by Akwasi Addai Odike and Nana Agyenim Boateng popularly known as Gyataba but following disagreements, Odike moved out to form a new party, the UPP.
Also on the list is the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), formed by Dr Obed Yao Asamoah and some other members from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who were unhappy with some developments in the NDC and therefore moved away to form the DFP after the 2005 national executive elections in the party.
The National Reform Party (NRP) also led by Goosie Tanoh and other breakaway members from the NDC in year 2000 is also on the list.
The Reform Patriotic Democrats, originally led by Kofi Akaploo, who has also moved to lead a new party, Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) is also on the list.
The Electoral Commission undertook a nationwide exercise to inspect the offices of all registered political parties in Ghana.
This exercise was conducted from May 16, 2022 to June 9, 2022.
Following the nationwide inspection, it came to light that the 17 under-listed Political Parties have no offices at the National and Regional levels as required by Section 15 (1) (Act 574), the EC said in a press announcement published in the Daily Graphic.
“The Commission intends to invoke Section 15 (3) (c) of the Political Parties Act of 2000, Act 574, which mandates it to cancel the registration of Political Parties which do not have offices at the National and Regional levels.”
”In this vein, the following Political Parties are by this notice requested to show cause in writing to the Electoral Commission why their registration should not be cancelled,” it added in the notice published on Thursday, October 13, 2022.
The parties are;
• Democratic People’s Party (DPP)
• United Front Party (UFP)
• United Development System Party (UDSP)
• Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere (EGLE)
• Yes People’s Party (YPP)
• United Ghana Movement (UGM)
• Democratic Freedom Party (DFP)
• New Vision Party (NVP)
• Ghana Democratic Republican Party (GDRP)
• Ghana National Party (GNP)
• Power Unity Party (PUP)
• United Progressive Party (UPP)
• Reform Patriotic Democrats (RPD)
• People’s Action Party (PAP)
• United Renaissance Party (URP)
• National Reform Party (NRP)
• United Love Party (ULP)
Below is a copy of the EC’s full notice
The Political Parties Act of 2000, Act 574 – Compliance by Political Parties
In a bid to ensure compliance with Section 22 (1) of the Political Parties Act, 2000 (Act 574), the Electoral Commission undertook a nationwide exercise to inspect the offices of all registered political parties in Ghana. This exercise was conducted from the 16th of May to the 9th of June, 2022.
Following the nationwide inspection, it came to light that the under-listed Political Parties have no offices at the National and Regional levels as required by Section 15 (1) (Act 574).
The Commission intends to invoke Section 15 (3) (c) of the Political Parties Act of 2000, Act 574, which mandates it to cancel the registration of Political Parties which do not have offices at the National and Regional levels.
In this vein, the following Political Parties are by this notice requested to show cause in writing to the Electoral Commission why their registration should not be cancelled:• Democratic People’s Party (DPP)
• United Front Party (UFP)
• United Development System
Party (UDSP)
• Every Ghanaian Living
Everywhere (EGLE)
• Yes People’s Party (YPP)
• United Ghana Movement (UGM)
• Democratic Freedom Party (DFP)
• New Vision Party (NVP)
• Ghana Democratic Republican
Party (GDRP)
• Ghana National Party (GNP)
• Power Unity Party (PUP)
• United Progressive Party (UPP)
• Reform Patriotic Democrats
(RPD)
• People’s Action Party (PAP)
• United Renaissance Party (URP)
• National Reform Party (NRP)
• United Love Party (ULP)
The responses should reach the Commission not later than Thursday, 20th October, 2022
This Public Notice has become necessary due to the failure of the listed Political Parties to furnish the Electoral Commission with information on their locations.
