NPP Loser calls for recount

Accra, Dec.23, GNA - Mr. James Amoah, the Parliamentary candidate of the New Patriotic Party who lost the elections in the Abokobi-Madina Constituency to Alhaji A. Sorogo of the National Democratic Congress has called for a recount of the ballot papers to determine the true winner of the polls in the constituency.

He said it was only this process that would erode his feelings and that of the supporters of the party in the constituency that there had been a conspiracy to help Alhaji Sorogo to be the winner.


In a statement issued on Thursday, Mr Amoah, a Businessman, alleged that in the Abokobi-Madina Constituency, there were electoral malpractices at some stations, which have eroded the confidence of the electorate in the Electoral Commission by the actions and in-actions of its officers.


It said after the declaration of results, Mr. Amoah expressed his desire for a recount of the ballot papers but the Commission or its staff had not acted on it.


The statement said it had remained a mystery as to who sent the results to the papers, the radio stations and the EC collation Centre for recording.


This was because as at 0200 hours on Wednesday, December 8, 2004, the Returning Officer had not declared the winner or loser for any objection or protest, it added.

It said the Returning Officer noted that the declaration of results could not be possible because the results for Adoteiman was not in, adding that the results would be announced the moment they received the other results.


The statement said Mr. Amoah and his group left the centre after 0200 hours, adding that surprisingly, by 0600 Hrs. it was announced on radio and published in the dailies declaring Alhaji Sorogo the winner. It alleged that when the Returning Officer and District Officer were questioned about it, they denied declaring Alhaji Sorogo the winner or having sent any result to that effect.


The statement said since then, they had not taken the trouble to recount as was requested by Mr. Amoah, saying that since the results had been made public the only way left was through the powers of the courts.


It said because the declaration was not properly done and at the correct time, Mr. Amoah could not sign the result declaration form to concur the genuineness of it, adding that, because of this, he was asking for a recount.