The Electoral Commission (EC) and the Ghana Police Service are set for the rerun of the election in 19 polling stations in the Ablekuma North Constituency to complete the December 2024 parliamentary exercise.
The constituency’s results couldn’t be declared due to violent incidents at the collation centre, which led to the destruction of pink sheets containing results.
The disputed results denied constituents a representative in Parliament seven months after the 9th Legislature was inaugurated. After months of back-and-forth amid a legal tussle, the EC resolved to conduct elections in 19 polling stations whose results could not be ascertained due to disturbances that marred the process.
The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), which insisted it had won the polls initially, opted out of the rerun, saying they could not participate to legitimise what they called an illegality, since they had already won the polls.
However, the party’s candidate, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, disagreed with the party’s position and continued campaigning while the party leadership was advocating for a boycott.
She had earlier filed an injunction to stop the EC from conducting the exercise, but it was dismissed by the court. Meanwhile, the EC has reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a fair, transparent, and credible election rerun.
At a press briefing on Thursday, July 10, the EC’s Deputy Chairperson in charge of Corporate Services, Dr Eric Bossman Asare, stated that all logistical preparations were complete and that the Commission was focused on ensuring that the will of the electorate is upheld.
“On our part as the electoral management body, we are desirous of bringing the election in the Ablekuma North constituency to a conclusion and to ensure that the constituents have a representative in Parliament,” Dr Asare said.
The rerun sees a renewed contest between the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie and the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) Ewurabena Aubynn. The two candidates first faced off during the general elections in December, but the outcome in some polling stations was disputed.
Following the NPP’s claim that the Commission is attempting to influence the process in favour of the NDC, which led to the party’s plans to halt the process in court, the EC has responded to those claims, dismissing any intentions of political bias toward any party.
“We state categorically that Ghana’s electoral management body is an independent body and will not be influenced by any institution or any person. Our track record speaks for itself,” Dr Asare emphasised.
He further assured all stakeholders, including political parties and voters, that the Commission remains guided by its constitutional mandate and motto: “Transparency, Fairness, Integrity.”
“We assure the public and the political parties that, as always, we will live by our motto and ensure that the rerun is fair, transparent and credible,” he stated.
The EC also extended best wishes to both candidates ahead of the vote. “We wish the two candidates the best of luck at the polls tomorrow, Friday, July 11,” Dr Asare concluded.
Police announce security measures for Ablekuma North parliamentary election re-run
