The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has vehemently contested the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to hold a rerun of the parliamentary election in the Ablekuma North constituency, asserting that their candidate, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, secured a legitimate victory in the December 7, 2024, general election. The party’s General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, argues that the proposed rerun lacks legal basis and directly contradicts a High Court ruling that mandated the EC to collate and declare the existing results, not conduct a new election. The NPP has declared its refusal to participate in the rerun, characterizing it as a blatant disregard for the court’s directive and a threat to the integrity of the electoral process.
Central to the NPP’s argument is the High Court’s January 4, 2025, ruling, which explicitly instructed the EC to finalize the collation of parliamentary results for Ablekuma North and declare the winner. Mr. Kodua highlighted the discrepancy between this ruling and the EC’s current position, emphasizing that the court did not order a rerun. He further pointed to correspondence between the NPP and the EC, specifically a letter dated June 3, 2025, in which the Commission confirmed that only three polling station results remained outstanding. This admission by the EC, according to Mr. Kodua, undermines their subsequent claim that a rerun is necessary due to issues with 19 polling stations.
The NPP has presented what they describe as “further and better particulars” to support their claim of victory. This evidence includes 281 scanned pink sheets – the official record of results from each polling station – covering all polling stations within the Ablekuma North constituency. These pink sheets, the NPP asserts, bear the signatures of presiding officers and party agents, including representatives from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), confirming their authenticity and the validity of the recorded results. The NPP’s compiled figures from these pink sheets show Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie winning the election with 34,613 votes, against 34,199 votes for the NDC candidate, Erwabena Obeng, establishing a 414-vote margin in favor of the NPP.
Mr. Kodua underscored the significance of these pink sheets, emphasizing that they were duly signed by all relevant parties, including the NDC’s agents, thereby validating the recorded results. He also displayed copies of scanned pink sheets from specific polling stations, including Christ Ebenezer Preparatory School and Pentecost Church, which the EC has inexplicably included among the 19 stations slated for a rerun. Mr. Kodua maintains that the NPP won convincingly in these polling stations, further challenging the EC’s justification for a rerun. He questioned the EC’s sudden shift in stance, expressing bewilderment at their decision to call for a rerun after previously acknowledging that only three polling station results were outstanding.
The NPP General Secretary also referenced the testimony of Dr. Bossman Asare, the Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, before Parliament. Dr. Asare, under oath, confirmed that only three polling station results were pending collation, further strengthening the NPP’s argument against the necessity of a rerun. This discrepancy between Dr. Asare’s sworn testimony and the EC’s subsequent actions raises concerns about the consistency and transparency of the Commission’s decision-making process.
In light of the presented evidence and the High Court’s directive, the NPP has called on the Electoral Commission to uphold the integrity of the electoral process by adhering to the court’s ruling and declaring Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie as the rightful winner of the Ablekuma North parliamentary seat. The party has warned that proceeding with the unjustified rerun would not only violate the rule of law but also undermine public trust in the electoral system. They have urged the EC to reconsider its decision and act in accordance with the legal framework governing elections, emphasizing that respecting the court’s judgment is crucial for preserving the credibility of the electoral process and maintaining peace and stability in the country. The NPP maintains that the EC’s current course risks setting a dangerous precedent and eroding public confidence in the fairness and impartiality of elections.
