The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ablekuma North Constituency has issued a strong statement disassociating itself from recent controversies surrounding the constituency’s electoral processes.
According to the NDC, the events raise serious concerns about transparency, fairness, and the role of the Electoral Commission (EC) and security agencies.
The NDC outlined a series of incidents that have undermined trust in the electoral process:
Unauthorized Pink Sheets Incident
The party alleged that the District Electoral Officer, Mr. Francis Opoku, and the Municipal Chief Executive for Ablekuma North, Hon. Kofi Ofori (a.k.a. Bella), attempted to introduce unauthorized pink sheets into the collation process.
This was reportedly thwarted by the vigilance of NDC Constituency Organizer, Hon. Musah Kalamu.
However, the NDC expressed disappointment that the District Police Commander, present at the scene, did not take appropriate action against those involved.
Conduct of NPP Candidate Sparks Chaos
The NPP Parliamentary Candidate, Hon. Akua Afriyie, reportedly entered the collation center without the required documentation and demanded the recounting of certain ballot boxes.
The NDC argued that her actions violated electoral guidelines under C.I. 127, leading to chaos at a storage site where some ballot boxes were kept.
During the ensuing standoff, police reportedly used live ammunition, tear gas, and pepper spray on unarmed civilians, raising further concerns about the security of the stored ballots.
Suspicious Deployment and Fire
On December 16, 2024, the NDC revealed that Electoral Commission officials and police personnel were deployed to the storage site housing the ballot boxes.
This occurred without prior notification to political parties. The NDC questioned the purpose of this deployment, which coincided with a fire that mysteriously destroyed the ballot boxes.
Despite the EC’s Returning Officer having declared Hon. Ewurabena Aubynn of the NDC as the winner of the parliamentary election, the party claims there are plans for an illegal re-collation of results.
Inconsistencies Over Pink Sheets
The NDC further criticized Hon. Akua Afriyie for inconsistent statements regarding her possession of pink sheets.
While the NPP initially admitted to having no pink sheets, the candidate later claimed on TV3 that she had all the necessary documents.
The NDC labelled this as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and undermine electoral credibility.
Call for Accountability
The NDC has posed several questions to the NPP and the Electoral Commission, including the reasons for nighttime evacuations of ballot boxes and the absence of political party representatives during critical processes.
In its statement, the NDC demanded accountability from the EC and security agencies, emphasizing its commitment to upholding the integrity of the electoral process.
The party called on all stakeholders to act in the interest of fairness and transparency to safeguard democracy in the Ablekuma North Constituency.
