2023 GFA Elections: Appeals Committee upholds disqualification of George Afriyie in presidential race

The Appeals Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has rendered a verdict dismissing George Afriyie’s appeal against his disqualification from running for the GFA presidency in the upcoming 2023 elections.

In its ruling to Mr. Afriyie on Monday, the Committee declared, “The invalidity of any document cannot be cured by reference to article 8(3) of the Elections Regulations. Indeed, if Mr. George Kwasi Afriyie had submitted an invalid Tax Clearance Certificate or an invalid Police Clearance Certificate, it would have rendered his nomination invalid.”

The Committee concurred with the Elections Committee’s position that Mr. Afriyie’s presidential nomination form failed to meet the necessary requirements.

George Afriyie, a former vice president of the football governing body, found himself disqualified from this year’s elections due to an irregularity involving one of his subscribers, Victory Warriors FC. It was revealed that the signatory, Jeffrey Asare, who represented Victory Warriors FC as its Director, was not a registered signatory of the club, contrary to Article 13(j)(2) of the GFA Statutes 2019.

Further inquiry by the committee confirmed that Mr. Asare’s details were not found at the Registrar of Companies or the GFA as an authorized signatory of the club, thus invalidating Mr. Afriyie’s nomination form, which necessitated five signatures or endorsements.

Mr. Afriyie filed his appeal on September 8, 2023, urging the Appeals Committee to overturn the Elections Committee’s decision. He contended that the disqualification violated the principles of “Natural Justice and Fair Hearing” of his candidature because it “…failed, neglected, and refused to apply article 8(3) of the FA regulations on elections.”

He asserted that the Committee misinterpreted the requirements for contesting the GFA presidency and misapplied Article 8(3) of the GFA Regulations on Elections and Article 13(2)(j) of the GFA Statutes 2019, characterizing the disqualification as erroneous.

Furthermore, he questioned the composition of the Elections Committee, which, per article 54 of the GFA Statutes 2019, should comprise five members but consisted of six during his vetting. Mr. Afriyie deemed this to be in contravention of the mandated panel composition.

However, the Appeals Committee clarified that the sixth person was an “…in-house lawyer of the Ghana Football Association. The lawyer was not part of the Vetting Team and did not question George Kwasi Afriyie. The lawyer provided administrative assistance to the committee.”

The Appeals Committee emphasized, “The nomination form for the position of president of the Ghana Football Association is a standard form that allows for only five members to support a valid nomination. There is no provision on the form for more than five (5).

“We note from George Kwasi Afriyie’s written submission that he claims to have presented six members in support of his nomination. This is inaccurate. The only members submitted in support of his nomination are just five.

“…the standard form only provides for five; therefore, Mr. George Kwasi Afriyie cannot assert that he presented six because he submitted six statutory declarations.”

Based on these grounds, the Appeals Committee upheld the rationale of the Elections Committee, thus dismissing Mr. Afriyie’s appeal.