The Electoral Commission (EC) said on Tuesday that presidential candidates for Election 2012 had between October 5 and October 17 to fill the forms and had two days, October 17 and 18 to return them to the Returning Officer.

The Commission said it was not true that the presidential candidates had only two days to fill forms they collected from the EC between October 5 and October 16.

“Those who seek to rule this country must learn first to obey rules and regulations...we must all go by the rules of the game,” Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, EC Chairman, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra.

The EC said all the parties whose presidential candidates’ nominations were rejected were due to their failure to comply with the law and that some of the candidates came with half filled forms, not signed by the two persons from the districts and other lapses.

“All the candidates were duly informed about the lapses to ratify the mistakes within the time period yet they failed to comply,” the EC said.

According to the EC, the nomination was based on the Presidential Elections Law, 1992 and Public Elections Regulations, 2012, Constitutional Instrument 75.

The Presidential Nomination papers require the particulars of the Candidate – name, age, voter ID No, Polling Station Name, Polling Station Code, Current Residential Address and Occupation.

In addition, the candidate is to provide particulars of two registered voters resident in the area of authority of each district assembly – full name, voter ID No, Polling Station Code, Polling Station name, Current Residential Address, Occupation, Date and signature or mark.

The nomination form for each candidate in an election for president shall be signed by the candidate; be signed by not less than two persons who are registered voters in the area of authority of each district assembly; designate a person to serve as Vice President; and be delivered to the Commission on or before the day appointed as nomination day in relation to the election.

The law mandates the Chairman of the Commission as the Returning Officer for the purpose of the election of President.