The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has successfully re-collated and declared results in seven out of nine disputed constituencies following directives from a High Court ruling. The announcement, made on December 21, 2024, confirmed victories for candidates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in all seven constituencies.
The re-collation exercise was necessitated by disputes arising from the 2024 general elections, which saw nine constituencies contesting the initial results due to alleged irregularities. Although the National Democratic Congress (NDC) sought to halt the process by filing an application at the Supreme Court, the EC proceeded with the exercise under the guidance of judicial directives.
Results from the Re-collated Constituencies
Ahafo Ano North:
The re-collation affirmed the NPP’s Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh as the winner with 20,353 votes, narrowly defeating the NDC’s Kwasi Adusei, who garnered 20,232 votes.
Techiman South:
Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah of the NPP retained his seat with 46,663 votes, overcoming Christopher Beyere Baasongti of the NDC, who secured 43,429 votes.
Ahafo Ano South West:
Elvis Osei Dapaah emerged victorious with 16,680 votes, narrowly edging past the NDC’s Sedik Abubakar, who obtained 16,540 votes in one of the closest contests in the constituency’s history.
Nsawam Adoagyiri:
Frank Annoh Dompreh of the NPP was confirmed as the winner with 29,640 votes, defeating the NDC’s Amenorpe Philbert Fummey, who received 29,433 votes.
Obuasi East:
Patrick Boakye-Yiadom of the NPP retained his parliamentary seat with 18,558 votes, narrowly beating the NDC’s Samuel Aboagye, who garnered 18,539 votes.
Okaikwei Central:
Patrick Yaw Boamah reclaimed the seat for the NPP with 21,099 votes. This overturned the earlier declaration of Baba Sadiq of the NDC as the winner. Baba Sadiq received 19,368 votes after the re-collation.
Tema Central:
Charles Forson of the NPP was declared the winner with 18,870 votes, overturning the earlier victory of Ebi Bright of the NDC, who obtained 18,815 votes.
Pending Constituencies
The results for two constituencies, Ablekuma North and Dome Kwabenya, remain suspended. The EC has indicated that further advice from its management is required before proceeding with the declarations for these areas.
NDC’s Reaction
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected the results declared in the seven constituencies, describing the re-collation exercise as unlawful. In a strongly worded statement, the party accused the EC of acting in bad faith and warned that electoral malpractices would not go unpunished.
Background to the Disputes
The disputes stem from allegations of irregularities during the collation process and subsequent declaration of results in the nine constituencies. Dissatisfied with the outcomes, six NPP parliamentary candidates filed a judicial review seeking an order compelling the EC to re-collate and announce the results.
The High Court, in a ruling on December 20, directed the EC to proceed with the re-collation under strict security to ensure transparency and fairness. However, the NDC opposed the decision and attempted to join the case by filing a motion for joinder, which was dismissed by the court.
EC’s Assurance
The EC has maintained that the re-collation process was conducted without intimidation or disruptions, with strict security measures in place to ensure the integrity of the exercise. The commission also emphasized its commitment to upholding its constitutional mandate to conduct free and fair elections.
Broader Implications
This development has sparked intense political debate, with both the NDC and NPP drawing different conclusions from the process. While the NPP has welcomed the outcome as a vindication of its position, the NDC has vowed to challenge the results in court.
The re-collation exercise, however, underscores the importance of judicial oversight in resolving electoral disputes and ensuring the credibility of Ghana’s electoral processes.
As the country awaits further developments in the two remaining constituencies, the EC’s handling of the situation will continue to be scrutinized, highlighting the need for transparency and fairness in all electoral activities.
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