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By: _Baffour Asare Yamoah_
The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has announced a rerun of the parliamentary election in 19 polling stations within the Ablekuma North Constituency, following a prolonged dispute between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). This shocking decision, while wrapped in a rhetoric of fairness and transparency, raises more questions than answers and risks setting a dangerous precedent for Ghana’s democratic process.
Let us be clear from the outset: the December 7, 2024 Parliamentary Elections were conclusive in Ablekuma North. The results albeit disrupted by politically motivated chaos at the collation centre pointed clearly to a victory for the NPP candidate. The party’s lead was beyond dispute, and any minor collation issues could have been resolved through standard verification mechanisms. Yet, here we are, being asked to return to the polls due to a technicality born out of politically induced disorder.
The Real Issue: Who Benefits from Chaos?
The NDC’s contention that 37 scanned Pink Sheets submitted during collation were invalid is disingenuous at best. These Pink Sheets were signed and approved by party agents present at the polling stations agents who had the mandate and capacity to reject or protest any irregularities at the time. Even more troubling is the EC’s admission that the original physical copies were destroyed after party supporters stormed the collation centre. This was not an accident it was an act of calculated disorder.
Why should a party benefit from its own induced chaos?
This incident mirrors similar tactics seen in other jurisdictions, where political actors create confusion to trigger reruns or cast doubt on election outcomes they do not favour. In the 2018 Sierra Leone elections, for instance, allegations of ballot tampering emerged after a coordinated effort to disrupt the electoral process in opposition strongholds leading to widespread voter apathy and confusion.
Selective Rerun? A Question of Consistency
According to the EC, 18 of the 37 scanned results will stand because they were verified by both party agents and Presiding Officers, while the remaining 19 will be subject to a rerun due to lack of verification by Presiding Officers. Yet this explanation fails the test of consistency and logic.
Why were party agents’ approvals insufficient for 19 polling stations but adequate for 18 others? Does the EC now suggest that Presiding Officers’ signatures matter more than those of party agents, who are the direct witnesses and beneficiaries of the results?
The inconsistencies raise legitimate concerns about whether political pressure is influencing what ought to be an independent electoral process.
The Toll on Candidates and Supporters
The NPP candidate, who by all accounts had secured the confidence of her constituents, now faces the burden of relaunching a campaign, reorganizing logistics, and re-motivating fatigued supporters all because of a rerun that many see as unnecessary.
There are credible suggestions that the candidate may even consider withdrawing from the race to avoid what has now become an arduous and emotionally draining ordeal. Such an outcome would be a travesty not just for her, but for the democratic right of the people of Ablekuma North to have their clear choice respected.
It is worth recalling the case of Ayawaso West Wuogon in 2019, where a rerun by-election was held following the death of the MP. Despite violence and voter intimidation on the day, the EC upheld the results and declared a winner. Yet, in this Ablekuma North case, we are told that scanned and agent-approved Pink Sheets are insufficient.
*The Bigger Picture: Trust in Institutions*
What happens in Ablekuma North does not remain in Ablekuma North. The EC’s decision sets a precedent: if a party can disrupt collation, discredit scanned results, and force a rerun, then we are no longer operating under the rule of law but under the rule of disorder.
The Electoral Commission must understand that fairness is not just about accommodating disputes it’s about upholding the truth and protecting the sanctity of electoral outcomes. If political parties begin to believe that violence or confusion yields political rewards, the very foundation of our democracy is at risk.
*Conclusion*
The EC’s rerun decision in Ablekuma North is not just shocking it is deeply unsettling. It risks emboldening political actors who see chaos as a pathway to power. It burdens candidates who have already won with unnecessary campaigns. And most importantly, it undermines the confidence of the Ghanaian people in the fairness and finality of our elections.
The NPP must stand resolute, and all Ghanaians who believe in democracy must speak up. The voice of the people was heard on December 7, 2024. That voice must not be silenced under the weight of manipulated processes and political convenience.
