I didn’t record any vote where my pastor voted – Edward Mahama

The Presidential Candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC) has blamed his initial disqualification by the Electoral Commission (EC) and electoral irregularities for the abysmal performance of his party in last Wednesday’s polls.

Dr Edward Mahama who made his fifth attempt at the presidency but failed to obtain one percent of the votes cast believes his performance could have been better but for the irregularities witnessed among others.

In an interview with Joy News, he said, “I on my part, where my pastor voted I got zero in this election, I am sure those so-called spoilt ballots, a lot of it will have my votes there.”

Narrating his experience, he said he was not making an excuse when he spoke of about the inequality of the playing field at the beginning of the elections.

“I was monitoring situations, my own votes, the votes of the other contestants so the fact that John Mahama conceded defeat and didn’t follow those in his camp who were saying they have won showed maturity,” he explained his criticism of the EC’s.

Mr Mahama was part of the aspiring Presidential candidates who were initially disqualified on October 10, when the Electoral Commissioner Chair Charlotte Osei, announced those qualified to be on the ballot.

Other parties whose candidates were disqualified were Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), United Progressive Party (UPP), Reformed Patriotic Democrats (RPD), Progressive People’s Party (PPP), and the Great Consolidated People’s Party (GCPP).

The rest include United Front Party (UFP), All People’s Congress (APC), National Democratic Party (NDP) and Independent People’s Party (IPP).

The four presidential candidates who successfully went through the process were the flagbearers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Convention People’s Party (CPP) and an independent candidate.

The Supreme Court later ordered the Commission to allow all aspiring Presidential Candidates to make the necessary correction on the forms.

But Dr Mahama said, “The disqualification took six weeks away from my campaign and also the disqualification made it impossible for me to raise money, also while I was respecting the EC and the judiciary by not campaigning I lost time.

He added that his party got angry with him for not campaigning but he told them “I have gone to court,I am respecting the court, I am respecting the EC.”