The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has pulled out of the re-collation exercise for the Tema Central constituency, citing significant concerns over the process. The re-collation, which was ordered by the High Court due to disputes over the original election results, has become a source of tension between the Electoral Commission (EC) and the opposition party. The NDC’s decision to boycott the process was sparked by accusations of procedural unfairness and the alleged involvement of an EC official inappropriately overseeing the re-collation.
The Tema Central seat was one of nine constituencies where the High Court had ordered a re-collation of the results after complaints of irregularities during the initial counting process. The NDC, which is contesting the outcome of the election in this area, expressed frustration over what they describe as the failure of the EC to follow the court's directives.
The decision to boycott the re-collation process came after a heated dispute over the role of the Tema Metropolitan Director of the EC, Manasseh Ofosuhene Asante. According to the NDC, the court had clearly instructed the EC to begin the re-collation from scratch, as they believed the original process had been illegal. However, instead of starting afresh, the EC continued from where the previous collation had left off, which the NDC claims undermines the integrity of the process.
South Dayi Member of Parliament, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, who was among the NDC representatives at the re-collation exercise, strongly objected to this decision. Dafeamekpor emphasized that the court ruling had not simply called for a re-collation but demanded a fresh start to ensure fairness. He argued that allowing the EC to continue from the previous stage, as they had done, violated the spirit of the court's order and could potentially influence the outcome in favor of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which had originally been declared victorious in the constituency.
“We cannot be part of a process that is flawed from the start,” Dafeamekpor said. “The court did not say to continue from where you left off, it said to start afresh. The process has been tainted, and we cannot sit back and watch this happen.”
Ebi Bright, the NDC’s candidate for the Tema Central seat, also joined the boycott, reiterating that the EC’s actions were in violation of the High Court's order. Bright accused Ofosuhene Asante of being biased and claimed that he was acting in favor of the NPP. According to the NDC, the Tema Metropolitan Director had been involved in several discussions with NPP members, which led them to believe that his presence in the re-collation exercise was inappropriate and partisan.
“Mr. Ofosuhene has no role in this process,” Bright said. “He should not be in charge. He has a history of interfering with the process, and we know he has been meeting with NPP officials. We cannot allow such a person to oversee the re-collation. The Returning Officer for Tema Central should be the one overseeing this process, not him.”
The NDC’s decision to withdraw from the process has raised further concerns about the transparency and credibility of the election in Tema Central. The re-collation had been highly anticipated after the High Court’s ruling, which came in response to legal challenges from the NPP and NDC. Both parties had raised complaints about discrepancies in the initial vote count, leading to the court's decision to order the re-collation.
The situation has created a tense atmosphere at the EC’s Ridge Office, where the re-collation was taking place. With the NDC now out of the process, the NPP is the only party represented at the re-collation, further intensifying the dispute. While the EC maintains that it is committed to following the court’s directive and ensuring a fair process, the absence of the NDC’s representatives raises questions about the legitimacy of the exercise.
The re-collation process for the Tema Central seat had already been clouded by allegations of electoral malpractice and irregularities. The NPP had initially been declared the winner of the constituency, but the NDC's objections led to the legal review. Now, with the NDC withdrawing from the process, the legitimacy of the entire re-collation is under scrutiny.
In the midst of the dispute, the EC has reiterated its commitment to conducting a transparent and fair election process. The Commission insists that the re-collation process is being carried out according to the law, and that all necessary steps are being taken to ensure that the final results reflect the true will of the people. However, the NDC's boycott has cast a shadow over the process, leaving many to question whether the exercise can truly be considered free and fair.
Earlier in the day, the EC had declared the Obuasi seat for the NPP’s Boakye-Yiadom after a contested recount. This was seen as another victory for the NPP, but the decision was met with mixed reactions from political observers, who pointed to the growing tension between the EC and the political parties.
As the re-collation process continues, all eyes will be on the outcome in Tema Central, as the NDC has vowed to continue challenging the results in court. The ongoing dispute highlights the deepening divisions in Ghana's political landscape, with both major parties accusing each other of electoral malpractice. With the general election results still being contested in several constituencies, the political situation in Ghana remains highly charged as the nation looks ahead to the formation of the next government.
In conclusion, the NDC's boycott of the Tema Central re-collation process underscores the continuing controversy surrounding the 2024 general election. The party's objections to the EC's handling of the re-collation and its accusations of bias have raised serious questions about the transparency and fairness of the electoral process. As the dispute unfolds, it remains to be seen how the legal challenges will be resolved and whether the re-collation will ultimately be seen as legitimate in the eyes of all parties involved.
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