Flagbearer of the United People’s Party, Akwasi Addai Odike has blamed his withdrawal from the presidential race on acts by EC chair Charlotte Osei which according to him have the tendency to discredit this year's polls.

Speaking shortly after withdrawing his nomination forms only 24 hours after presenting them to the Electoral Commission, Mr. Odike said he was convinced this year's election will not be free and fair adding that the EC chair could not be trusted to see through a clean process.

“The way EC has conducted itself I’m not happy. Looking at the time left for us to go for campaigning, the woman has wasted our time so our chances has (have) been reduced. We won’t be part of this election", Odike said.

He added, “ …I don’t trust the woman, the way things are going I don’t trust the commission. Period!”

When asked why he went ahead to present his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission knowing he was going to eventually withdraw from the race, Odike said the move was to prove to the whole world that he was qualified to be in the contest.

“It’s not that I was disqualified. I’ve proven to the whole world that I qualified but I’ve taken this stance.”