Candidates in Upper West want invalidated ballot papers accepted

Wa, Nov. 20, GNA - Parliamentary candidates in the Upper West Region has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to accept ballot papers that are not validated as genuine ones. They contended that there was no justification for a ballot paper to be rejected because it had not been validated, pointing out that once the results were declared at the polling stations there could not be any foul play with the ballot papers.

"We want to appeal to the EC to accept all invalidated ballot papers as genuine ones because that mistake is never the fault of the voter", the candidates argued. The candidates raised these concerns at a forum aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the ballot during this year's elections. The EC organized the forum with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for 50 Parliamentary Candidates, 47 on party tickets and three independent. The candidates appealed to the EC to endeavour to supply adequate voting materials to the polling stations, explaining that shortage of voting materials in areas perceived as strong holds was considered sabotage.

Madam Ibrahim Hidaya Sungjun, Parliamentary Candidate for the People's National Convention (PNC) for the Wa East called for the abolition of transfer of voters during elections. She explained that the integrity and legitimacy of such people were in doubt and that could cause confusion among the various party agents on one hand and the community members on the other hand. The PNC candidate alleged that some Parliamentary candidates had bought voters and helped them to transfer their votes to their electoral areas to vote for them and warned that if care was not taken that could disrupt the elections in some polling stations.

Mr Alban Bagbin, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary candidate for Nadowli West appealed to the EC to devise appropriate ways of handling persons with disabilities in the voting process, especially how to mark those without fingers with the indelible ink. Mr Ebenezer Aggrey-Fynn, a Commissioner at the Electoral Commission (EC) responsible for the Upper West Region, warned Returning Officers that they would be held responsible for the any shortage of voting materials at the polling stations in the December 7 polls. He said it has come to the notice that some Returning Officers had always under supplied ballot papers and other voting materials to some polling stations and that would not be tolerated. Mr Mahama Yahaya, Upper West Regional Director of the EC called on the winners and losers to accept the results of the elections to sustain the prevailing peace in the country.