EC denies affidavit fraud

The Electoral Commission has denied reports that one of its presiding officers at a polling station in the Northern region attempted to criminally sign an affidavit to among other things, authenticate the nullification of electoral records on some pink sheets regarding the 2012 elections.

The case is currently being investigated by the Gambaga Police in the Northern region.

The presiding officer of Nanyeri polling station, Evans Iddrisu allegedly attempted perpetrating the electoral fraud on the orders of the District Electoral Officer for Nalerigu Gambaga, Bismark Nteh.

Some vigilant members of the main opposition New Patriotic Party in the Northern region according to reports, exposed the fraud which was meant to authenticate the nullification of the results at that polling station due to over-voting by one extra ballot.

Over-voting is one of four clear categories of alleged electoral fraud identified by the 2012 presidential candidate of the NPP, Nana Addo Dankawa Akufo-Addo and two other petitioners who are challenging the validity of the election results which led the EC (second respondent) to declare President Mahama (first respondent) as winner of the poll.

The Northern regional Director of the EC, Sylvester Kanye, however said there has never been any attempt by any of its officers to commit the alleged fraud.

He said the presiding officer’s written statement to his superiors concerning the outcome of the election was the same statement which was turned into an affidavit to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive that all evidence concerning the petition be brought before it through an affidavit.