Cheddar to contest 2024 as independent candidate

Nana Kwame Bediako, popularly known as Cheddar or Freedom Jacob Caesar, has not been able to register the New Force Movement, which he leads as a political party as of now. 

He has, therefore officially declared that he intends to contest the upcoming December 7 presidential election as an independent candidate.

He said the decision to contest as an independent candidate was due to delays in acquiring the necessary approval from the Electoral Commission to form a political party.

“We believe that if we have to wait for three months and we are guaranteed to still get this license, we would not have two months to even campaign or market for this party,” he stated.

Cheddar made the announcement at a press conference in Accra on Friday, July 12, 2024.

Mr Bediako explained that his effort to establish the New Force as a political party began on September 12, 2023, when the movement submitted all necessary forms and requirements needed for a citizen to form a party.

“We submitted all the forms and requirements needed for a citizen to form a party so we can also become a part of our national government and contribute to the development of this country,” he added.

After several months of waiting, he said the movement received a call from the EC on May 30, 2024, stating that the application would be ready.

Mr Bediako noted that the problem with acquiring the certificate was the gazetting process, where the movement would be vetted by the Electoral Commission for three months.

“It is after three months that they decide to give you the license. In this case, we were prepared with our movement company just in case we were delayed. That is exactly what has happened.

“After eight months of putting this registration through, we received a provisional license which makes it very difficult for us to risk another three months of getting an actual license before we can proceed as a party, making it impossible for the New Force,” he explained.

Mr. Bediako acknowledged that not all independent candidates are successful, saying, “but the one thing that freed Ghana from the imperialists is independence. That is how we started. So, the one thing that I believe will relieve Ghana from our political principles which are undermining the nation’s development is independence.”

He assured Ghanaians that he would continue to pursue the movement’s goal to become a party after the December 7 election.