GFA Appeals Committee affirms George Afriyie’s disqualification from 2023 GFA presidential election
George Afriyie’s bid to overturn his disqualification from the forthcoming 2023 Ghana Football Association (GFA) presidential elections has been rejected.
Earlier this month, Afriyie was disqualified by the Elections Committee for failing to meet the criteria stipulated in Article 13(2)(j) of the Ghana Football Association statutes, 2019, and for not securing the necessary support from fellow GFA members for his candidacy.
Although Afriyie successfully filed an appeal, the Appeals Committee has affirmed the initial decision, effectively barring him from participating in the upcoming election.
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In a notice of appeal dated 8th September 2023, George Kwasi Afriyie contested the Elections Committee’s ruling that disqualified him as a candidate for the GFA presidency.
The Appeals Committee meticulously examined all pertinent documents, including those submitted by Afriyie, the Elections Committee’s decision, and video footage of Afriyie’s vetting, in addition to conducting interviews with the Elections Committee.
The central issue at hand was whether or not George Kwasi Afriyie was rightfully disqualified by the Elections Committee.
One of Afriyie’s contentions was that the Elections Committee was comprised of six members rather than the mandated five.
However, the Appeals Committee clarified that the sixth individual mentioned by Afriyie was the internal legal counsel of the Ghana Football Association, who held an administrative role and did not alter the panel’s composition from five to six.
Furthermore, Afriyie asserted that he had submitted six GFA member endorsements for his nomination. Nonetheless, the Appeals Committee determined that he had presented only five valid endorsements in accordance with the standard nomination form, which permitted a maximum of five endorsements.
The Elections Committee’s disqualification of Afriyie was primarily based on an endorsement from Victory Club Warriors F/C, which was deemed invalid due to the signatory, Mr. Jeffery Asare, lacking the status of a club director or an authorized signatory as officially registered with the GFA. Despite Afriyie’s arguments, the Appeals Committee upheld the Elections Committee’s decision.
As a result of this ruling, George Afriyie is effectively excluded from the race for the GFA presidency in the forthcoming elections, leaving incumbent President Kurt Okraku to run unopposed.
