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Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) has defended its decision to re-collate election results in nine constituencies, emphasizing that this practice is not unprecedented in the nation’s electoral history.
In a statement shared on social media, the EC highlighted its commitment to accuracy and fairness, referencing past instances where re-collation corrected earlier outcomes to ensure the integrity of the process.
“Re-collation after the declaration of results is not new. It has happened before,” the EC stated, providing examples from prior elections:
- 1998: In the Dompose Kokwaado Electoral Area during district-level elections in the KEEA District, the EC, under Dr. Afari Gyan, overturned an earlier declaration to announce the correct candidate as the winner.
- 2004: Parliamentary results in the Pru Constituency were re-collated under Dr. Afari Gyan, leading to the reversal of an initial declaration in favor of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, who was ultimately declared the winner over the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate.
- 2004: Re-collation in the Tolon Constituency corrected the results, declaring the rightful winner.
- 2004: The Yapei-Kusawgu Constituency results were also re-collated, resulting in the accurate declaration of the winner.
- 2004: Similarly, in the Zabzugu Constituency, re-collation ensured the correct candidate was declared the winner.
The EC’s decision to re-collate the nine constituencies’ results has sparked public debate, with critics questioning the timing and potential implications of the move.
Despite the criticisms, the EC maintains that its actions align with its mandate to conduct free, fair, and credible elections.
The Commission underscored that re-collation serves as a corrective measure to address discrepancies and ensure the declared results genuinely reflect the will of the people.
Source:Omanghana.com
