NPP Opposes Ablekuma North Re-run Decision

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has strongly opposed the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to organize a rerun of elections in 19 polling stations in the Ablekuma North constituency, describing the move as a blatant disregard for a High Court order.

At a press briefing on Tuesday June 8th, the party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, reminded the media of a previous press conference held last Thursday where the NPP made its position clear that the EC had no legal basis to conduct a rerun in the area.

He explained that a January 4, 2025 High Court ruling ordered the Electoral Commission to complete collation and declare the winner of the Ablekuma North parliamentary elections, not to conduct a fresh poll. “Even as far back as June 3, the EC itself responded to a letter I wrote, confirming that only three polling stations remained to be collated,” he noted.

According to Mr. Kodua, the Electoral Commission further confirmed this position through its Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Bossman Asare, who stated under oath in Parliament that only three polling stations were left. “It is therefore shocking and unacceptable that the EC has now turned around to claim that 19 polling stations require a rerun,” he stressed.

To support the NPP’s claims, Mr. Kodua presented what he called “further and better particulars,” including 281 scanned copies of the official pink sheets from all polling stations in Ablekuma North. According to the party, these documents show that its candidate, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, won the election with 34,613 votes, beating NDC’s Erwabena Obeng, who secured 34,199 votes a margin of 414 votes.

“It is important for the media and the entire country to know that these pink sheets were duly signed by presiding officers and party agents, including those from the NDC,” the NPP General Secretary added.

He further demonstrated examples of the scanned pink sheets from polling stations the EC has included in the proposed rerun, such as Christ Ebenezer Preparatory School and Pentecost Church, where the NPP insists it won convincingly.

“The Electoral Commission’s U-turn is not only disappointing, it is a shame to Ghana’s democracy. The facts speak for themselves. We have the documents, we have the numbers, and we have the court backing us,” Mr. Kodua said.

The NPP has announced its intention to return to court, accusing the EC of being in contempt of the earlier ruling. “The court said go, collate, and declare—not rerun. Anything else is unlawful,” the party emphasized.

Source:channel247online.com/Masopeh Jeremiah