A heated political standoff is unfolding in the Ablekuma North constituency as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has fiercely contested the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to rerun elections in 19 polling stations.
The party’s General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, insisted that their parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Afriyie, secured an undisputed win in the 2024 parliamentary elections.
At a press briefing held on Tuesday, July 8, Kodua criticized the EC’s rerun directive, describing it as a distortion of electoral justice and a disregard for the will of the people in Ablekuma North.
“For us in the New Party Patriotic (NPP), we are resolute and we know that our candidate, Nana Akua Afriyie, won the elections with a margin of 414 votes. This is based on facts and figures. Yesterday, when the National Executive Committee met, we said that under no circumstances would we be intimidated.”
Justin Frimpong Kodua
The EC’s call for a rerun stems from alleged irregularities during the collation process, particularly issues surrounding scanned results and the lack of validation from some presiding officers.
However, the NPP rejected these claims and maintained that all necessary procedures were duly followed during and after voting.
Kodua argued that the NPP has sufficient proof to back its assertion of victory and that the party’s position remains firm against any electoral repetition.
Accordingly, he expressed the party’s unwavering belief that the EC must halt plans for a rerun and rather move forward with the collation completion as per an earlier court directive. “The New Patriotic Party will not go for any rerun.”
He went on to state that the party has collated reliable and comprehensive evidence showing that Nana Akua Afriyie won by a margin of 414 votes.
According to Kodua, the results from all polling stations had already been signed and verified by both party agents and EC officials at the constituency level. Therefore, the call for a rerun, he argued, appears unfounded and politically questionable.
The NPP is instead demanding that the EC respect the documented evidence and promptly declare their candidate the rightful Member of Parliament-elect for the area.
“We are resolute and we know that our candidate… won the elections. This is based on facts and figures,” Kodua declared, reinforcing the party’s strong position on the matter.
He added that attempts to force a rerun would undermine the credibility of the electoral process and create unnecessary tension within the constituency and beyond.
EC, Ablekuma North Legal Entanglements Deepen
While the Electoral Commission maintained that its actions are intended to uphold electoral integrity, the NPP asserted that the move is an overreach, calling into question the transparency and fairness of the Commission’s decision-making process.
Justin Frimpong Kodua reiterated that the party would not allow what it describes as politically motivated interference to override what it considers a legitimate outcome.
The NPP further argued that the court had already directed the EC to complete the collation process—a step they believe was bypassed by the rerun announcement.
Kodua stated that the EC is obligated to follow the court’s instructions instead of introducing new procedures that could delay the outcome or compromise voter confidence.
“What we are asking the Electoral Commission to do is to follow the court’s directive to finish the collation and declare our candidate… as the MP for Ablekuma North.”
Justin Frimpong Kodua
Despite the EC’s insistence on correcting errors related to the use of scanned documents, the NPP asserted that scanned results were only introduced after polling station results had been certified by authorized officers.
They maintained that their victory is based on verified, physical pink sheets and signed documents from the polling stations, not on questionable post-election materials.
Kodua warned that the party would not yield to any pressure or intimidation aimed at overturning the constituents’ choice. “Under no circumstances will we be intimidated,” he said, speaking on behalf of the party’s National Executive Committee.
This latest development intensifies an already tense electoral environment in Ablekuma North, where legal and political arguments have become intertwined.
The NPP’s refusal to participate in any rerun sets the stage for further confrontation, especially if the EC proceeds with preparations without party consensus.
Meanwhile, the unfolding battle could test the resilience of Ghana’s democratic institutions and the impartiality of its Electoral Commission.
As the NPP continues to mount pressure, attention now turns to how the EC and the courts will respond to the party’s claims and demands.
While the final outcome remains uncertain, the Ablekuma North dispute underscores the critical importance of documentation, transparency, and adherence to due process in electoral matters.
As political parties brace for what could become a defining legal precedent, the eyes of the nation remain fixed on how the Electoral Commission will navigate this high-stakes controversy.
