CDD to monitor Odododiodoo bye-election

Accra, Aug. 2, GNA - The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) on Tuesday appealed to contesting political parties, security agencies, the media and residents of the Odododiodoo Constituency to be circumspect and ensure utmost respect for the 1992 Constitution during and after the upcoming bye-elections in the area.

The bye-election is scheduled for Tuesday, August 30 and had been occasioned by the death of the Member of Parliament a few weeks ago. The CDD in a statement in Accra said it would observe the bye-election by deploying a team of trained observers from the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) to serve as pre-election monitors in the days leading to the polls and on the day of the polls.

It said similar to what the CDD did during the Asawasi bye-election, election monitors would be deployed to the Odododiodoo Constituency on August 6 to begin pre-election monitoring, which would capture and report on events and incidents that were likely to affect the integrity of the polls and cause violence in the days leading to the election.

"The monitors will also look out for activities and conditions that could lead to an unequal playing field for the contestants as well as the misuse and abuse of incumbency. On polling day CDD will deploy additional personnel to observe the conduct of the polls", the statement said.

It further explained that the CDD intended to embark on the exercise to promote free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections as well as complement the efforts of the Electoral Commission to conduct credible elections in the country.

The CDD would issue a preliminary report covering the pre-election exercise and a full report soon after the polls, the statement said. 02 Aug 05