Samuel Kofi Payitey has been declared the elected President of the Tertiary Education Institution Network (TEIN) at the University of Media, Arts and Communication-Institute of Journalism (UniMAC-IJ) for the 2026/2027 academic year.

The TEIN UniMAC-IJ Electoral Commission declared Mr Payitey the winner after determining a petition concerning an alleged breach of campaign regulations by one of the presidential candidates.

Mr Payitey secured 104 votes, representing 51.7% of the total votes.

In its communiqué dated Wednesday, September 30, 2026, the Electoral Commission said it had considered the petition, the evidence presented and the relevant provisions of the Constitutional Instrument governing the 2026 TEIN UniMAC-IJ elections.

The Commission acknowledged that the alleged campaign communication was made on Election Day, after the stipulated campaign period had ended.

However, it said the applicable regulations did not expressly prescribe disqualification as a penalty for campaigning after the close of the campaign period.

The Commission also referred to Article 19(11) of the 1992 Constitution, which provides that no person shall be convicted of a criminal offence unless the offence and its penalty are prescribed in written law.

It said the principle that a sanction must have a prescribed legal basis was relevant to its determination, although the matter was an internal electoral issue and not a criminal prosecution.

The Commission therefore concluded that it could not impose disqualification where the sanction was not expressly provided for under the applicable electoral regulations.

“Accordingly, the Electoral Commission has determined that the allegation does not constitute sufficient grounds under the applicable CI for the disqualification of the candidate,” it stated.

Payitey confirmed as winner

Following the determination, the Commission formally declared Samuel Kofi Payitey the duly elected President of TEIN UniMAC-IJ for the 2026/2027 academic year.

“The Commission therefore confirms SAMUEL KOFI PAYITEY as the winner of the 2026 TEIN UniMAC-IJ Presidential Elections,” it stated.

The Electoral Commission congratulated Mr Payitey and all candidates who participated in the election.

It also called on members to respect the outcome and contribute to a peaceful transition and the continued unity of TEIN UniMAC-IJ.