Hassan Ayariga

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Hassan Ayariga
Born (1972-09-04) 4 September 1972 (age 52)
Nationality Ghanaian
Education Ghana Senior High School (Tamale)
OccupationAccountant
Political party All People's Congress
SpouseAnitta Ayariga
Children5
Relatives Mahama Ayariga

Hassan Ayariga (born 4 September 1972) is a Ghanaian accountant and unsuccessful 2016 Ghanaian presidential aspirant. He is the founder of the All People's Congress (APC) and was the candidate of the People's National Convention for the December 2012 presidential election. [1] [2]

Contents

Early life and education

Ayariga spent his childhood in Accra and Bawku, moving to Nigeria with his parents after the overthrow of the Limann administration. He attended Ghana Secondary School in Tamale and then in Nigeria Barewa College in Zaria, but did not earn a degree at Barewa. He eventually studied accounting at the London School of Accountancy, yet likewise neither pursued or acquired any degree.

Ayariga later attended Atlantic International University, an unaccredited university often described as a degree mill. [3] [4] This is not Ayariga's only dubious American educational credential as he is also the recipient of an honorary degree from Reagan National University, an institution likewise reported as a fraud. [5] In 2021, the accreditor of Reagan National University, the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, became unrecognized in the United States due to lax standards. [6] In 2025, Ayariga was warned by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission to cease using the title of "Dr.", as he has never actually earned any degree from an educational institution currently-accredited by recognized authorities within the country in which it is domiciled. [7]

Politics

In the primaries of the People's National Convention (PNC) for the 2016 general election, Ayariga lost to Edward Mahama, whom he had beaten to become presidential candidate in 2012. Alleging electoral misconduct, he left the party to form a new party, the All People’s Congress (APC), in 2016. The Electoral Commission of Ghana handed the party a provisional certificate after he met the requisite requirements, and it had since been granted a final certificate. [8]

Due to errors with paperwork, Ayariga was disqualified from the ballot in the 2016 Ghanaian general election. [9] In response, Ayariga launched claims of electoral misconduct not unlike those he had earlier leveled at the People's National Convention. [10]

Personal life

His father, Frank Abdulai Ayariga, was a member of parliament for the Bawku Constituency during the third republic administration of Hilla Limann and his mother, Anatu Ayariga, a business woman. [11]

His younger brother Mahama Ayariga was Ghanaian Minister for Youth and Sports from 2013-2015, and he is the current Ghanaian Member of Parliament for the Bawku Central [12] Constituency.

Hassan Ayariga lived and worked in Germany for many years and has business interests in both Ghana and Germany. He is married and has 5 children. [13]

References

  1. "Profile of 2012 Presidential Candidates". Electoral Commission of Ghana. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  2. "Hassan Ayariga's APC receives provisional certificate". Graphic Online. 11 February 2016.
  3. Gumbs-Sandiford, Ani-ka. "Commissioner into 1990 coup attempt accused of having Doctorate". Guardian. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  4. "Probe IGP's 'Fake' doctorate degree - Academics". GhanaWeb. 2016-10-28. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  5. Conway, Marian (2020-02-18). "The Case of the Accreditation of the Nonexistent University". Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly. Archived from the original on August 5, 2025. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  6. "U.S. Department of Education Ends ACICS Recognition | Council for Higher Education Accreditation". Council for Higher Education Accreditation . June 4, 2021. Archived from the original on August 5, 2025. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  7. Adogla-Bessa, Delali (2025-07-15). "Hassan Ayariga Given Warning to Stop Using Unearned Dr Title: 'Unacceptable'". Yen.com.gh . Archived from the original on August 5, 2025. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
  8. Boakye, Baffour Agyeman Prempeh (2023-01-24). "Ghana's Nkrumahist parties keep splitting - a threat to their strength in the 2024 election". The Conversation. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  9. "Full list of disqualified presidential aspirants | General News 2016-10-10". Ghana web. 2018-07-19. Archived from the original on 2018-07-19. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  10. "EC disqualification bogus; we'll sue them – Ayariga". www.ghanaweb.com. Archived from the original on 2016-10-11. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  11. "Hassan Ayariga's Bio". hassanayariga. Archived from the original on 21 April 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
  12. "Ghanaians will continue to enjoy subsidies on utilities - Mahama Ayariga". City fM Online. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  13. "Hassan Ayariga (PNC Presidential Candidate )". Ghana Web. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
Party political offices
Preceded by People's National Convention presidential candidate
2012
Succeeded by
New title All People's Congress Presidential Candidate
2016, 2020
Incumbent