By A. B. A. Fuseini

THE Electoral Commission (EC), has fixed September 12 and 13, 2000 as dates for the filing of nominations by candidates who wish to contest the presidential and parliamentary elections slated for December 8, 2000. Mr. David Adenze Kanga, Deputy Chairman of the EC in charge of operations who disclosed this in an interview yesterday, however stressed that these dates are provisional and would therefore be subject to confirmation or variation by the commission.

Explaining the modalities or guidelines for the exercise, Mr. Kanga said whereas returning officers at the 200 constituencies across the country would deal directly with the nominations of parliamentary candidates at their respective constituencies, nominations for the Presidential poll be handled at the head office of the Electoral Commission with the chairman of the commission being the returning officer.

The deputy chairman stated that upon receipt by the EC of the nominations of the candidates for both the presidential and parliamentary polls, the commission using its internal mechanisms, would ascertain the validity of such nominations.

The commission would then proceed to publish a notice of nominations embodying the list of candidates who have filed to contest various positions for the consideration and scrutiny of the public.

Members of the public, he said, are at liberty to object to the candidature of any of the candidates but they would be required to provide justifiable reasons for such objections for any action to be initiated by the commission against such candidates.

If no objections are made against the candidates or if objections made have been successfully resolved, the EC would then proceed to publish a notice of poll which reflects the officially recognised list of candidates contesting the various positions for the attention of the public. The provisions governing the conduct of the polls indicate that it is only after this last hurdle is cleared by the various candidates and the EC has certified the applicants as fit and eligible to contest the various positions that they would be qualified to be referred to as presidential candidates of their respective political parties and parliamentary candidates of the parties on whose tickets they are aspiring for such positions. Until then, they could only be referred to as flagbearers and Parliamentary aspirants of their respective political parties.

Additionally, the nomination of a Presidential candidate cannot be validated if it is not accompanied by a similar filing of the nomination of a running mate.

This is essential because such a running mate, in the event of the victory of that party, would be elevated to the status of vice president of the Republic and would according to the provisions of the constitution, be legally required to act as President in the absence from the country of the President or even to take over as President in the event of the death, resignation or incapacitation of the President. Mr. Kanga said that the EC, before the conduct of the 1996 general elections and up to date, has instituted a number of reforms designed to enhance the conduct of the country?s general elections and thus enhance the democratic process.

He mentioned some of these steps to include the periodic revision of the voters register to purge it of unqualified persons, the introduction of transparent ballot boxes, party agents to monitor the polls, provision of Voter Identity cards to help check impersonation, the creation of the Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) to boost dialogue and understanding between the various political parties in the country, among others.