The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has announced its decision to rerun parliamentary elections in 19 polling stations within the Ablekuma North Constituency following a prolonged dispute between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the integrity of some election results.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, the Commission explained that the rerun is a direct response to concerns over the verification of results from these polling stations.
Although scanned pink sheets from 37 polling stations were initially used in the collation of the results—with approval from agents of both political parties—the Commission clarified that 19 of those lacked verification from the Presiding Officers responsible for those areas.
“As part of its commitment to resolve the impasse regarding the Ablekuma North Constituency Parliamentary Election, the Electoral Commission yesterday, Tuesday, 1st July, 2025, met with the representatives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP).”
Electoral Commission (EC)
The meeting was a follow-up to an earlier engagement held on June 12, 2025. According to the Commission, both political parties were given the opportunity to share any new insights or updates concerning the disputed election.
However, both sides reiterated their previously held positions.
The NDC maintained that elections should be rerun across all 37 polling stations. The party’s contention centers on the claim that the scanned pink sheets used during collation were submitted by the NPP, raising questions about fairness and transparency.
On the other hand, the NPP argued that there was no need for such an extensive rerun. The party insisted that the results from just three outstanding polling stations should be collated and a winner declared.
The NPP emphasized that agents from the NDC had already verified and accepted the scanned results they submitted.
EC Justifies Rerun Over Verification Issues
Despite these opposing views, the Commission emphasized the importance of understanding the core issue—that the pink sheets used in compiling the results from 37 polling stations were scanned copies, not originals verified by the Presiding Officers.
“The Public may recall that Political Party supporters besieged our Collation Centre and destroyed a number of the Pink Sheets for the Ablekuma North Parliamentary Election during the collation of results following the December 7th General Election.”
Electoral Commission (EC)
This destruction of documents at the collation center played a critical role in complicating the verification process.
Without original pink sheets or formal verification by the Presiding Officers, the Commission concluded that a rerun in the affected areas was necessary to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.
The EC further disclosed that 18 of the 37 polling station results had been successfully verified by the Presiding Officers and had also received approval from the agents of both political parties.
Consequently, these 18 polling stations will not be included in the upcoming rerun.
In total, elections will be held again in 19 polling stations, and the Commission has set Friday, July 11, 2025, as the date for the rerun.
This move is aimed at resolving the stalemate and ensuring that the final parliamentary results for the Ablekuma North Constituency are indisputable.
The Commission’s decision underscores the growing challenges associated with electoral integrity, especially in the face of political tensions and procedural breakdowns.
While both major parties remain at odds over the scope and responsibility for the irregularities, the rerun provides a legal and democratic pathway to move beyond the current impasse.
As the nation continues to refine its democratic processes, incidents like the destruction of official documents and the reliance on scanned copies highlight the urgent need for stronger safeguards and digital resilience in election management.
Trust in the Commission is likely to be tested once again, and the credibility of the final results will hinge on the smooth execution of the rerun process.
In its closing remarks, the Commission reiterated its neutrality and commitment to upholding democratic principles, urging all stakeholders to support the rerun for the sake of national stability and electoral credibility.
