The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has commended Ghana’s electoral process, describing it as credible and transparent.
At a press conference, the Chairperson of the CODEO Advisory Board Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe has made observations, highlighting key findings from polling stations across the country and reaffirming confidence in the credibility of the Electoral Commission’s (EC) arrangements.
According to Dr. Deegbe, CODEO observers stationed at 1,500 polling stations nationwide reported that “99% of political party agents at polling stations and all presiding officers signed the parliamentary results declaration forms.”
Additionally, in 98% of polling stations, presiding officers provided copies of signed results sheets to party candidate agents.
Given these observations, CODEO confidently asserted that the setup and execution of electoral processes, from polling to vote counting, were generally adequate and credible.
Dr. Deegbe noted that CODEO’s data has stabilized, enabling the coalition to finalize its Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) estimates for the presidential election. Such that “the PVT will provide an impartial verification of the official presidential election results announced by the EC.”
However, in adherence to protocol, CODEO will release its PVT estimates only after the EC fulfills its constitutional duty of announcing the official results. He added;
”Meanwhile, from our PVT provisional estimation, CODEO projects voter turnout at 63.9% plus or minus 0.5% and rejected ballots rates at 2.1% plus or minus 0.5% respectively.’’
Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe Chairperson of the CODEO Advisory Board
Despite the generally peaceful conduct of the elections, CODEO reported 228 incidents during the opening, voting, and counting processes.
These incidents included “intimidation or harassment, violence, vote buying, bribery, unauthorized police presence at polling stations, and violations of voting or counting procedures,” Dr. Deegbe revealed.
He further noted that some worrying incidents occurred in constituencies such as Odododiodio, Okaikwei South, Damongo, and Obuasi East. For example, at the GPRTU polling station in Odododiodio, a CODEO observer was physically assaulted.
Also, Violent clashes and destruction of electoral materials were reported in areas like Krachi West, Tano South, and Ellembele.
CODEO acknowledged that election officials and security agents managed to swiftly resolve many of these issues while investigations have commenced in other cases.
Voter Inducement: A Persistent Concern
While applauding the conduct of Election Day procedures, Dr. Deegbe expressed concern about voter inducement observed during the campaign period and on Election Day. He stated, “This undermines the ability of Ghanaians to freely express their choice at the ballot box.” However, he acknowledged;
“We acknowledge Ghanaians, the Electoral Commission, security personnel, political parties, candidates, the media, and domestic and international observers for their respective contributions to this democratic exercise.”
Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe Chairperson of the CODEO Advisory Board
He also eulogized the early concession of defeat by Dr. Bawumia the New Patriotic Party’s presidential candidate as a positive step for Ghana’s democracy.
In his address, Dr. Deegbe acknowledged the support CODEO received from international development partners, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the National Democratic Institute, the European Union, ECOWAS, and the UK government.
“Their partnership has been instrumental in ensuring CODEO’s ability to observe the elections and provide impartial assessments.”
Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe Chairperson of the CODEO Advisory Board
Dr. Deegbe emphasized that CODEO’s work does not end with polling day. Observers have been deployed to all 276 constituency collation centers, 16 regional centers, and the National Resource Collation Center in Accra to monitor the post-election processes.
CODEO reiterated its commitment to releasing these PVT estimates to independently verify the accuracy of the EC’s official results, ensuring that they reflect the votes cast at polling stations nationwide. He concluded;
“We are proud of the commitment displayed by Ghanaians in ensuring that the 2024 elections were conducted peacefully and transparently.”
Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe Chairperson of the CODEO Advisory Board
The coalition urged all stakeholders to remain calm and allow the EC to finalize and declare the results in accordance with the legal framework.
CODEO’s observations reaffirm the integrity of Ghana’s electoral system, underscoring its role as a vital mechanism for democratic governance.
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