The Electoral Commission (EC) is calling on the Ghana Police Service to quickly apprehend supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who disrupted the protracted collation exercise on Friday.
The commission had scheduled a continuation of the never-ending collation process for another day after three of the 281 polling station results remained outstanding when stakeholders of the electoral event last met on 8th January, 2025.
However, the exercise could not proceed as planned when individuals purported to be NDC supporters stormed the EC’s headquarters in Accra to halt the collation.
According to the commission, these individuals were led by the ruling party’s Greater Accra Regional Organizer. Two men in uniform were also reported to have participated in the disruption.
The EC, blamed the police for failing to appropriately manage the scheduled event, resulting in staff fleeing the premises in fear of their lives.
“The Police however did not augment security at the premises of the Collation Centre (Old Head Office) and the new Corporate Head Office leading to some party supporters invading the Old Head Office of the Commission and destroying the property of the Commission including furniture and louvre blades.
“Some of the supporters also invaded the premises of the New Corporate Head Office of the Commission on motor bicycles. They issued threats to the Commission and the staff. This instilled fear in the staff and caused all staff members to flee because the environment had become unsafe as a result of the invasion. As a result of this, work has come to a standstill,” EC’s Deputy Commissioner in charge of operations, Samuel Tettey said.
The release called for the suspects to be arrested, noting that they had been captured in video recordings.
“We call on the Police to swiftly bring the perpetrators to book by identifying, arresting and prosecuting them,” Mr. Tettey urged. “Video footages are available showing the faces of the perpetrators of these heinous acts.”
The election management body called on the government to facilitate an adequate security arrangement in order that the collation exercise could continue “in a safe and secure environment”.
Ablekuma North remains the only area among the 276 constituencies without a representative in the 9th Parliament.
Both candidates, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the NDC’s Ewurabena Aubynn are convinced that they have won the disputed parliamentary election.
