Walewale Primary Re-Run Chaos: NPP to decide ‘winner’ – EC

The Electoral Commission(EC) has revealed that it has deferred the outcome of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary re-run in the Walewale constituency to the national hierarchy of the party.

Gilbert Manu, the West Mamprusi Municipal Director of the Electoral Commission (EC) disclosed that the polls were inconclusive following happenings that characterized the final stages.

Reports suggested that the Ghana Police Service arrested a man identified as Akamara Bawah for causing damage to some ballot papers while the sorting of ballots was ongoing at the Pentecost Church.

Addressing the media on the development, Municipal EC Director, Gilbert Manu justified why the elections had been declared by the Electoral Commission (EC) as null and void indicating that it became imperative to take that stance because some of the ballots were difficult to determine who the delegates voted for due to the destruction.

He mentioned that the state of the ballot papers could not determine the winner of the elections hence the postponement of the elections.

“When we opened the ballot box, after the sorting we realized some of the ballot papers were badly damaged in such a way that you can’t determine if it was for party candidate A or B. Hence we had to stop for the party to decide whether to rerun the election or not so we couldn’t determine the winner today. We therefore leave it for the NPP to decide,” he said.

He further stated that the ballot and the case will be in the hands of the police until the party determines the cause of the damaged ballot papers and who represents them as parliamentary candidates in the constituency.

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission has given up to September 13, 2024, as the deadline for candidates to file their nominations for the 2024 polls.

In a release sighted by MyNewsGh.com, it reads in part “Electoral Commission wishes to announce for the information of the General Public that pursuant to Regulations 6, 7, and 8 of the Public Elections Regulations, 2020 (C.I. 127), the Commission will receive Nominations for the Elections of President and Members of Parliament from Monday, 9 September, to Friday, 13th September, 2024.”