The Electoral Commission (EC) has firmly denied allegations of political bias in its decision to rerun the parliamentary election in 19 polling stations within the Ablekuma North constituency.
This clarification comes amid growing accusations that the Commission is acting in favour of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The rerun is scheduled for Friday, July 11, in polling stations where results from the December 2024 general elections were not properly verified.
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has rejected the EC’s decision, describing it as unlawful and politically motivated.
The party officially announced a boycott of the rerun and threatened legal action.
However, the Accra High Court dismissed an injunction application filed by the NPP parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Afriyie, who is now expected to participate in the rerun despite her party’s position.
Her decision to contest in the rerun has come as a surprise, given the NPP’s consistent opposition to the process.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, July 10, the EC’s Deputy Chairman in charge of Corporate Services, Dr. Bossman Asare, dismissed the claims of political interference.
He stated, “The Commission’s attention has been drawn to unfounded accusations that it has been influenced by certain individuals to pursue the rerun. We state categorically that Ghana’s Electoral Management Body (EMB) is independent and will not be dictated to by any person or institution. Our track record speaks for itself.”
The Commission clarified that of the 37 polling stations initially under contention, 18 had verified and certified results.
However, 19 polling stations lacked proper verification, prompting the need for the rerun.
Since December 2024, the Ablekuma North constituency has been without a Member of Parliament due to the unresolved electoral dispute between the NPP and NDC.
Despite the NPP’s ongoing protest, the EC has affirmed its commitment to conducting a transparent and peaceful process.
It assured the public that adequate security measures have been put in place in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service to ensure order on election day.
