EC cancelled votes in 3 regions

The Electoral Commission (EC) appears to be shifting blame of its presiding officers who were in charge of the December 7 and 8, 2012 general elections, the presidential results of which is being contested at the Supreme Court.

Daily Guide has information that leadership of the beleaguered commission is going to lead evidence in the ongoing presidential election petition to the effect that the presiding officers overstepped their mandate by annulling results from a number of polling stations.

The petitioners, including New Patriotic party (NPP) presidential candidate in the December 2012 election Nana Akufo-Addo, his running mate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the party’s National Chairman Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, in their petition, said they had evidence that the officers of the EC annulled results in a number of polling stations due to violations, irregularities and malpractices.

The EC, as 2nd respondent in its answer, denied that no polling station result was annulled, but seemed to have changed its story since 2nd petitioner Dr Bawumia testified on the annulments.

According to Dr Bawumia, some polling station results were annulled as a result of violations, irregularities and malpractices. He told the nine-member panel trying the case that once that had been done, all polling stations where similar incidents occurred should also be annulled.

He said in his evidence-in-chief two weeks ago that “you cannot have one set of rules for one polling station and another for others”.

However, the EC, in a supplementary affidavit filed in April, admitted that the results were cancelled in some polling stations, but no permission was sought from senior officials.

According to the ECE, the polling stations where the petitioners are claiming the EC annulled results are found in Brong Ahafo, Eastern and Northern regions.

There are six polling stations involved, with the Northern having four. They are H253105 Police Station Langbinsi, H252302 T, Booth Nanyeri, H251504 T. Booth Bongani and H252301 D/A Primary School Kulgona, all in Nalerigu-Gambaga Constituency.

The rest are G124202 R/C Church Kutre No. 1, Berekum West Constituency in Brong Ahafo and E 121703 Arabic Primary School Asuokow (A) in West Akim Constituency in the Eastern Region.