Tema East NDC refuses to sign result b'cos of wrong figure

Tema, Dec. 9, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) chairman of Tema East constituency has refused to sign the election results from the area due to discrepancies in figures. Speaking to the GNA on telephone, Mr Mustapha Darko, chairman said the party's coordinator at the coalition centre at the Twedaase School reported to him that two figures were recorded for the Republic Road number C0 0509 polling station. He said while the presiding officer recorded 505 in figures, he wrote it in words as 508, and as a result a recount was demanded for all results from the constituency.

Mr Mustapha said he made a report to the Tema Electoral Office, after which they were directed to the Tema Fire Service office for a recount, but it never took place. "I reported the matter to my regional and national executives who asked me to insist on the right thing to be done," he added. When contacted Mr Eric Opei-Kumi, Returning Officer for Tema East corroborated the story and explained that "it was an oversight on the part of the Presiding Officer.

However, they obliged for a recount but when they asked the NPP and the NDC to go with only two executives to the Fire Office, the NDC went along with a whole battalion", so all were asked to leave". Mr Opei-Kumi said a report was made to the Tema Regional Police Commander, DCOP John Kudalor who directed that the counting be conducted at the Community two Police Station. According to the Returning Officer the NDC executives refused to be represented though they were informed, "the counting was therefore conducted in the presence of the police, NPP executives and some journalists which was certified to be 508".

Meanwhile, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has retained its two seats in Tema East Constituency, but the industrial city remains calm, two days after the presidential and parliamentary elections as all are waiting anxiously for the final results to be declared by the Electoral Commission (EC). At the Community one commercial centre, people are going about their normal duties; while a lot are holding radios to listen attentively to what is happening in Accra.

Ashaiman town is also observing a calm environment but many people have converged at the NDC office to wait for the results. Madam Irene Naa Torshie Addo, a lawyer, NPP, polled 39,090 votes for Tema West while Mr Samuel Evans Ashong Narh, an engineer and former Mayor of Tema, who won on the NPP ticket had 40,044.

Following are the rest of the presidential and parliamentary results for the Tema East constituency. Presidential NPP 43,381 PNC 218 NDC 35,917 DFP 73 DPP 20 CPP 1,602 RPD 10 Independent Candidate 31

Parliamentary CPP 7,852 NDC 33,011 Independent candidate 519 Efforts to reach the Tema Metropolitan Electoral Officer, Mr Michael Boadu proved futile.