CODEO’s PVT estimates match the official presidential election results

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers, CODEO has affirmed that the results of the 2020 presidential elections declared by the Electoral Commission truly reflects how Ghanaians voted in the December 7 elections.

CODEO made this pronouncement during a press briefing earlier today, December 10, 2020.

According to the Acting Chair of CODEO, Sheikh Arimiyao Shaibu, CODEO employed the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology, which it had used in previous elections since 2008 for this year’s election.

The PVT methodology is an advanced and scientific election observation technique that combines well-established statistical principles and ICT to observe elections, he explained. Furthermore, he mentioned that this method is employed by independent and non-partisan citizens’ election observer groups around the world for verifying the accuracy of official presidential elections results.

Delineating how the PVT methodology works, he stated that, CODEO received data from 1,502 PVT observers who were deployed to a nationally representative random sample of polling stations located across the 275 constituencies in all the 16 regions and the data was thoroughly checked for accuracy and internal consistency.

With regard to the findings obtained, the Acting Director of CODEO indicated that the PVT estimates were largely consistent with those of the EC, with 95% confidence that the estimates matched that of EC.

For instance, the PVT estimate for the presidential results of the NPP was 50.98% as compared to 51.302% of the EC’s official results. Likewise, the PVT estimate of the NDC presidential aspirant was 47.66% as compared to 47.359% of the EC.

Aside the consistency between the PVT estimates and the EC official results, CODEO also established that the PVT estimated rejected ballots of 2.25% was only deviated slightly from that of the EC (2.33%). Again, the official voter turnout rate of the EC (79.0%) only deviates slightly from that of the PVT estimates (79.69%). He noted that this difference could be as a result of the exclusion of the outstanding results from Techiman South Consitituency, in excess of 128,000 registered voters.

On the basis of the abovementioned evidence, the Acting Director of CODEO pointed out that they are in no doubt that the results declared by the Electoral Commission are proven to be true. More so, CODEO observed that “the two major political parties had party agents at over 99% of polling stations and that these agents also signed the official declaration of polls and were given copies of those documents.”

Furthermore, CODEO re-affirmed its confidence in the EC’s setup and processes, right from voting to the counting of the votes, indicating that it was generally adequate and credible. Although, they acknowledged that there were a few incidents of use of abusive language recorded.

Thus, CODEO advised that the contestants in the presidential election, the supporters, and the general public should place confidence in the official presidential results as declared by the EC.