Presidential results would be recounted if too close – EC boss

To ensure that the wrong person is not declared winner of the 2016 presidential election, the Electoral Commission would do a recount if the results are close, Chairperson of the Commission has maintained.

The results for the presidential poll on December 7 is expected to be declared within maximum 74 hours, Charlotte Osei head of the Commission has said.

The declaration could only be pushed beyond 72 hours if the results appear too close between the leading candidate and the second person, she told BBC in a facebook live interview on Thursday.

“Our elections in Ghana tend to be very close. If it is so close, it might be prudent to stop, inform everyone, do a total recount and be sure of what we are announcing finally,” Mrs. Osei explained.

She also mentioned that the Commission would avoid announcing the presidential results, if results from all the 29,000 polling stations have not been received.

To ensure that Ghanaians are kept in the loop about the whole counting process, the Commission will ensure a “robust communication process” by giving hourly update to the media.

Mrs. Charlotte Osei flatly rejected perception that the Commission, especially her person, can be influenced to change the election results.

“It is impossible for the EC to be influenced,” she stated, pointing to a “transparent process” adopted by the country in conducting elections.

“It is rarely impossible to change figures” at the Commission’s office, she emphasized.

Elections would be on December 7

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission was very confident the raging court cases would not cause a change of voting day.

“We will not allow law suits to subvert the process and so we are going to get a definitive ruling from the Supreme Court likely this week; at the latest, early next week. But in the meantime, we have started the process of printing the parliamentary ballot papers to make up some of the time and so we are in a good place to meet the December 7 date”.