Controversial sports journalist Patrick Osei Agyemang, also known as Countryman Songo, is advocating for the reinstatement of George Afriyie to the Ghana Football Association’s Presidential Elections.
Afriyie, who aspired to become GFA President, was disqualified from the elections due to his failure to meet the required nomination criteria set by the GFA elections’ vetting committee.
Despite appealing his disqualification to the Appeals Committee in hopes of reversing the decision, Afriyie’s appeal was ultimately rejected.
As a result, with the current GFA president, Kurt Okraku, poised to run uncontested, Countryman Songo is calling on the vetting committee to reconsider their decision and allow George Afriyie to participate in the electoral competition.
Songo stated, “How can the GFA president run unopposed? It’s not fair; there should be competition. Competition is vital in situations like this. No one should bypass the electoral process while others face injustice. We want Ghana football to thrive.”
He pointed out that in the run-up to the 2016 General Election, Paa Kwesi Nduom, the former PPP flagbearer, encountered a comparable disqualification by the Electoral Commission.
Nevertheless, the courts sided with him, permitting him to rectify mistakes in his nomination documents and participate in the elections.
“Even during the general elections, Paa Kwesi Nduom was disqualified, and he took the matter to the appeals committee. The court ruled that he should be allowed to contest because if there is an error in his application forms, he needs more time to correct them. So why disqualify George Afriyie?” Songo questioned.
Meanwhile, George Afriyie is reportedly planning to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).