Electoral Commission to revoke licenses of 17 political parties

The Electoral Commission of Ghana has served notice of decision to revoke licenses of 17 political parties. Those targeted according to the Commission, have no regional and national presence as prescribed by the Political Parties Act of 2000, Act 574.

The underlisted parties which include now government critic, Kumasi based Akwasi Addae, popularly known as Odike’s United Progressive Party (UPP), Goosie Tandoh’s National Reform party, Kofi Akaploo’s Reform Patriotic Democrats, Dr Obed Asamoah’s Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), formed in 2005 with Frances Essiam and Bede Zideng following disagreements with then founder, the late former President Jerry Rawlings, have up to Thursday, October 20, 2022 to show proof why their registrations or risk recognition henceforth.

The full list includes:
1. Democratic People’s Party (DPP)
2. United Front Party (UFP)
3. United Development System Party (UDSP)
4. Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere (EGLE)
5. Yes People’s Party (YPP)
6. United Ghana Movement (UGM)
7. Democratic Freedom Party (DFP)
8. New Vision Party (NVP)
9. Ghana Democratic Republican Party (GDRP)
10. Ghana National Party (GNP)
11. Power Unity Party (PUP)
12. United Progressive Party (UPP)
13. Reform Patriotic Democrats (RPD)
14. People’s Action Party (PAP)
15. United Renaissance Party (URP)
16. National Reform Party (NRP)
17. United Love Party (ULP)

A public announcement by the Electoral Commission said it compiled the list after it undertook a nationwide exercise to inspect the offices of all registered political parties in Ghana between May 16, 2022 and June 9, 2022.

“The Commission intends to invoke Section 15 (3) (c) of the Political Parties Act of 2000, Act 574, which mandates it to cancel the registration of Political Parties which do not have offices at the National and Regional levels.” ….the EC said in a notice, published in the Daily Graphic.

It explained that after the nationwide inspection, it became obvious that the listed Political Parties have no offices at the national and regional levels as required by Section 15 (1) (Act 574),

”In this vein, the following Political Parties are by this notice requested to show cause in writing to the Electoral Commission why their registration should not be cancelled,” it added in the notice published on Thursday, October 13, 2022.