The Collation of the Dome Kwabenya polling station results at the Electoral Commission (EC) headquarters was thrown into disarray as political parties and the EC clashed over discrepancies in the process.
The dispute centred around conflicting claims regarding the number of polling stations yet to be collated and the validity of previous declarations.
The disagreement began when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate, Mike Oquaye Junior, raised objections during the collation process. According to reports, Oquaye contended that there were discrepancies concerning the remaining polling stations. He claimed that 88 stations were still to be collated when chaos broke out, and the NPP had not been present for the collation of 85 of them, rendering any declarations made in their absence invalid.
This claim was disputed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which argued that only three polling stations were outstanding and that results from the rest should stand.
As tensions mounted, a meeting was called to resolve the matter. After discussions, the EC representative announced a compromise. It was agreed that one of the three outstanding stations, which had already been included in the presidential tally, would be set aside. The results from the remaining two stations would be collated and included in the final tally. If these results significantly altered the rankings, a rerun would be held at the polling station already recorded on the presidential sheet.
The temporary resolution has calmed proceedings, but the dispute remains under close scrutiny. The NDC continues to insist that only three polling stations are in question, while the NPP demands clarification of the earlier collation process.
The ongoing tensions underscore the challenges of ensuring electoral transparency and fairness, particularly in high-stakes constituencies such as Dome Kwabenya. Both political parties and the EC are under increasing pressure to ensure the final results reflect the will of the electorate, with calls for greater accountability and credibility growing louder.
Source:TheDotNews