The Leader and Founder of the New Force, Nana Kwame Bediako has endorsed the GHC100,000.00 presidential filing fees announced by the Electoral Commission.
Speaking to journalists after obtaining a code to access the presidential forms at the Electoral Commission, he acknowledged that the filing fee is expensive but anyone willing to lead the country must be able to cough up the required amount.
“Anyone seeking to take up such an office should do whatever he can to pay the money,” he said.
Nana Kwame Bediako alias Cheddar obtained the code required for downloading the presidential forms barely 24 hours after the Commission announced nominations.
The Electoral Commission was criticized for pegging the presidential filing fee at GHC100,000.00 and GHC75,000.00 for women and individuals with disability. The critics claimed that the amount required will hinder qualified people from contesting the upcoming elections.
But Nana Kwame Bediako has kicked against the critics’ stance, indicating that people seeking to occupy such high office must be able to pay the required fee.
Beaming with smiles, Cheddar told journalists that he is happy that he has been given the form and that he is going to go through the process.
He indicated that “politics in this country has been expensive so we have to find a way to make it economical.”
In a related development, Nana Kwame Bediako disputed findings of a survey conducted by Info Analytics which revealed that the New Force will only garner one percent of total votes in the Ashanti Region, the stronghold of the ruling New Patriotic Party.
“Numbers do not lie, but people can write what they want. The figures can be 1, 5 or any number. So far as the number is not zero, we can make a head way.” he said.
The New Force is meanwhile readying itself to launch its policy document and unveil Cheddar’s running mate.
