February 11, 2025

Returning Officer Resigns After Completing Ablekuma North Results, Seeks Replacement

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Vincent Obeng, the Returning Officer for the Ablekuma North Constituency, has announced his resignation from the role of overseeing the collation of election results in the area. His decision to step down was communicated to the Electoral Commission (EC) on January 8, 2025, after expressing frustrations with the challenges he encountered during the ongoing results collation process.

Obeng explained that, out of seven polling stations in the constituency, results from four had already been collated, leaving only three polling stations’ results remaining. However, difficulties arose when the presiding officers for these final three polling stations failed to authenticate the necessary forms required for the collation process. In an interview with Channel One News’ Hanson Agyemang, Obeng elaborated on the situation, stating that on January 7, there were seven polling stations yet to be addressed, but by January 8, four of them had been processed. He further revealed that two presiding officers had arrived but were unable to authenticate the statements of the poll and declaration forms, and the third presiding officer failed to attend at all. As a result, Obeng made the decision to step down and announced, “It’s so unfortunate for me to make this statement that I’m done with Ablekuma North. They should find a new Returning Officer to continue their work for them.”

Obeng’s resignation has caused a stir within the Electoral Commission, with the Director of Training at the EC, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, expressing regret over the announcement made by the Returning Officer. Dr. Quaicoe’s response emphasized the difficulty of the situation, yet it is evident that Obeng’s frustrations have heightened the tensions surrounding the results collation in the Ablekuma North constituency.

This resignation comes amid escalating chaos at the Greater Accra Regional Office, where the collation of Ablekuma North’s results had resumed after being temporarily halted earlier in the week. On January 6, the EC had suspended the process due to unresolved issues with the results from seven outstanding polling stations. These issues primarily stemmed from the need to authenticate the results from the polling stations, especially after suspicions were raised regarding the accuracy of the figures. The suspension had sparked concern, particularly within the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which accused the EC of collaborating with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to manipulate the results.

The NDC’s Constituency Organiser for Ablekuma North, Musa Kalamu, alleged that the Electoral Commission was aiding the NPP in altering the figures from the pink sheets submitted by the presiding officers. Kalamu’s accusations fueled tensions, leading to protests as the NDC voiced its dissatisfaction with the EC’s handling of the situation. These tensions intensified as the EC resumed the collation process, only to find the already volatile atmosphere further exacerbated by Obeng’s resignation.

The electoral process had already faced significant scrutiny prior to the incident, particularly due to the unresolved issues with the results from the seven polling stations. These outstanding results had been the subject of controversy, with the EC seeking to verify and authenticate the figures before moving forward with the final collation. On January 6, before the suspension of the process, the EC had managed to authenticate 13 of the pink sheets from the 20 polling stations that were under review. These sheets had been submitted by the NPP, but the authenticity of the remaining results was in question.

The decision to halt the collation process was not only intended to ensure the integrity of the results but also to address concerns raised by the political parties involved. The NDC, in particular, had accused the EC of being complicit in what they perceived as efforts to manipulate the outcome in favor of the NPP. These allegations added another layer of complexity to an already delicate situation.

With Obeng’s resignation, the EC is now left in a difficult position, having to find a replacement to oversee the remaining work in Ablekuma North. The tension surrounding the election results in the constituency is unlikely to subside anytime soon, given the heightened accusations of foul play and the challenges in verifying the outstanding polling station results. As the search for a new Returning Officer begins, it remains to be seen how the EC will navigate this ongoing crisis, and whether they can restore trust in the election process.

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