Senior Programmes Officer at the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Paul Mensah Aborampah, has said the Electoral Commission (EC) cannot be blamed for the alleged bribery action that took place during the Ejisu by-election.
He says the action, as described by the EC as the only minor bloat that characterised its near perfect by-election in Ejisu, is true, since the act itself did not impact the overall outcome of the exercise.
Member of Parliament for Kwadaso, Dr. Kingsley Nyarko, was captured in a video during the Ejisu by-election, speaking to two officials of the EC, and handed them a white envelope for lunch. The staff of the Commission who received the envelope were immediately relieved of their posts by the EC and subsequently reported the matter to the Ghana Police Service.
Commending the Commission and the Ghana Police Service for conducting a transparent election in Ejisu, Mr. Aborampah noted that the said bribery allegation is not the cause of the EC and the swiftness with which they acted by replacing the staff involved and reporting the matter to the police is commendable.
Citing the 2012 and 2020 election petitions, the CDD Programmes Manager stated that the Supreme Court in both instances upheld the declaration of the Electoral Commission after concluding that the infractions that occurred did not significantly impact the polls.
“There are two issues we are dealing with here. The Electoral Commission describes it as a minor issue, they are referring to the impact that such acts would have on the entire elections. You and I are privy to two court cases that challenged election results in 2013 on the basis of 2012 elections, 2021 on the basis of 2020 elections. The major declaration from the court was that, yes, there were some few irregularities, but they were not enough to mar the elections or change the elections outcome and therefore they withheld the results announced by the Electoral Commission,” he told Alfred Ocansey on Ghana Tonight on TV3 Thursday, May 02, 2024.
Speaking further, he said the other aspect of the matter bothers on criminality which is within the remit of the police to investigate.
According to him, although the MP did not have access to enter the inner perimeter at the polling centre, it is out of the respect that Ghanaians have for leaders including chiefs and the clergy, that make polling officials grant them access to their circles during such exercises.
He, therefore, sustained his view that the Ejisu by-election was transparent and the EC and police deserve a thumbs up for conducting the poll freely and peacefully.
“So, the other one is criminality. Criminal issues are not the issue of Electoral Commission. Criminal issues are issues of criminal investigations system and the police service and EC did its bit by taking quick action to replacing its polling staff and also reporting them to the police. It’s up to the police to take other action because I know a case has two parties. The police can never conclude its investigation without inviting the said Member [of Parliament] who gave the envelope,” he told host, Alfred Ocansey.
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