February 11, 2025

NDC Opposes EC’s Decision to Hold Rerun Elections in Dome-Kwabenya

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NDC

   The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has strongly opposed the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to conduct a rerun of elections at a polling station in the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency. This decision follows the suspension of the parliamentary results for the third time after chaos erupted during the vote tallying process on Saturday, December 27.

Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, the EC’s Director of Training, explained that the rerun was necessary due to the absence of a pink sheet from the Abokobi Women’s Development Centre 2 polling station. However, the NDC maintains that their candidate, Elikplim Akurugu, was the rightful winner in the parliamentary election held on December 7 and that the situation should not result in a rerun.

At a media briefing, Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, the NDC Deputy Director of Elections and IT, strongly criticized the EC’s decision, questioning the integrity of the commission’s calculations. He pointed out that there was a margin of 1,154 votes in favor of Akurugu, and suggested that if there was an issue with the specific polling station, the results from that station should simply be excluded. Dr. Tanko-Computer argued that even without the Abokobi Women’s Development Centre 2 polling station’s votes, the results would still favor Akurugu. “The voter population for that station is 689,” he explained. “When you subtract 689 from the 1,154-vote margin, Elikplim still wins.”

The NDC representative also criticized the EC for what he described as arithmetic errors in their calculations. He firmly stated, “These people have issues with arithmetic, so we’ll help them with the math.” According to Tanko-Computer, Elikplim Akurugu’s victory should be upheld, and the party would not accept the rerun. The NDC continues to insist that Akurugu’s win is indisputable, and that further delays or disputes should be avoided.

The rerun has become a contentious issue, with the NDC determined to have the results recognized without further dispute. The party argues that the Electoral Commission is unnecessarily prolonging the matter and causing frustration in the constituency. The NDC claims that the situation, which involves an isolated issue at one polling station, should not invalidate Akurugu’s clear victory.

Meanwhile, Anthony Nukpenu, the Greater Accra Regional Organiser for the NDC, has raised serious concerns about the safety of electoral officials should the rerun go ahead. He highlighted growing tensions within the Dome-Kwabenya community, expressing doubts about the security of election officers. Nukpenu warned that if the rerun were to take place, he could not guarantee the safety of the officials conducting the process. He stated, “For us, we have not taken any decision, but if they should go ahead, I can’t guarantee their safety.”

Nukpenu also emphasized that the local community had already expressed their decision during the original election on December 7, when Elikplim Akurugu received overwhelming support. He stated that the community’s resolve on the outcome of the election should be respected. “The community has indicated clearly that they have voted. They voted on the 7th and overwhelmingly for Elikplim Akurugu. That result stands,” he explained.

In his interview with Channel One Newsroom on Sunday, December 29, 2024, Nukpenu issued a stern warning to the EC. He stated that if any officials attempted to conduct a new election or bring new ballot papers to the community, they might face resistance. “Should any official dare come with a ballot box or papers to determine another verdict, they are not going to participate, but they can’t guarantee the safety of those who will come and conduct that exercise,” Nukpenu said.

The NDC’s objections to the rerun, coupled with concerns about potential security risks, have added further complexity to the ongoing dispute over the election results. With tensions running high, the situation remains unresolved, and it remains to be seen how the EC will respond to the NDC’s criticism and whether the rerun will take place as planned. The outcome of this dispute will likely have significant implications for both the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency and the broader political landscape in Ghana.

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