The National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have been asked by the Electoral Commission (EC) to remove their followers from polling places, limiting entry to only officially authorized party agents.
This directive was issued on Tuesday following disruptions during the collation of parliamentary election results, particularly in the Ablekuma North Constituency in the Greater Accra Region.
According to the EC, the collation process was briefly put on hold to guarantee that security and legal procedures, as specified in Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) 127, were followed.
Political parties are permitted by law to choose two representatives to represent them at collation centers, where the Returning Officer and other appointed authorities supervise the collation process.
However, the growing number of party supporters who have interrupted the process has alarmed the EC.
“Contrary to legal requirements, political party supporters have besieged some collation centres, physically assaulted our staff, and destroyed property,” said Samuel Tetteh, the EC’s Deputy Director of Operations. “These supporters have also coerced our staff to declare results that do not match the official Pink Sheets.”
The EC documented cases of vandalism in constituencies like Dome Kwabenya, Okaikwei Central, Tema Central, and Ayensuano, involving property destruction, burning of ballot papers and Pink Sheets, and obstruction of the collation process.
The Commission questioned why important papers needed to confirm election results were being destroyed and vehemently denounced these activities.
“We urge the political parties to immediately withdraw their supporters from the collation centres,” Tetteh stated.
“We are collaborating with security agencies and party leadership to ensure that the collation process is conducted in accordance with legal procedures.”
In order to reflect the will of voters, the EC promised the public that it will complete the collation process in all impacted seats, including Ablekuma North, while maintaining the integrity of the electoral framework.
“We are confident that collation in Ablekuma North and other areas will resume shortly, once the necessary legal and security measures are restored,” Tetteh concluded.
