Political analyst Jonathan Asante-Otchere said the number of presidential aspirants cleared to contest in this year’s elections is too high.

The Electoral Commission (EC) on Monday, October 19 announced that 12 aspirants had been cleared to contest.

They are Alfred Asiedu Walker, an independent candidate, whose running mate, Jacob Osei Yeboah, also contested the 2012 and 2016 elections, New Patriotic Party’s Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who will contest his fourth elections but his first as the incumbent, Christian Kwabena Andrews of the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), Progressive People’s Party’s Brigitte Akosua Dzogbenuku, who was a Vice Presidential Candidate in 2016 elections, National Democratic Congress’ John Dramani Mahama, who contests is third elections and the second former head of state – after Dr. Hilla Limann – to contest elections in the Fourth Republic, Ghana Freedom Party’s Akua Donkor, and National Democratic Party’s Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, who also contests her second elections.

The others are All People’s Congress’ Hassan Ayariga, who will contest his second elections after standing for the People’s National Convention (PNC) in 2012, Convention People’s Party’s Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, who will contest his second successive elections, the first repeat candidate for the CPP in the Fourth Republic, Great Consolidated Popular Party’s Henry Herbert Lartey, who contests his second elections after placing fourth in 2012, Liberal Party of Ghana’s Percyval Kofi Akpaloo and Convention People’s Party’s David Apasera, who contests the presidential elections for the first time despite having won parliamentary elections in Bolgatanga in the past.

Speaking in an interview with Stephen Anti on the Elections 360 on TV3 Tuesday, October 20, Mr. Asante-Otchere said 12 aspirants is too high a number for a country with a population of 30 million people.

“This is too high a number,” he said while also expressing shock at the qualification of Madama Akua Donkor.