The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has called on the Ghana Police Service to investigate and prosecute persons found guilty of perpetuating violence during the by-election in the Assin North constituency.
According to the National Coordinator of CODEO, Albert Kofi Arhin, the Coalition reported incidents of intimation, violation of counting procedure and violent clashes during the election. He revealed that his outfit trained and deployed 15 observers who were classified into two categories to observe polling day proceedings in the Assin North Constituency by-election which was held on Tuesday, June 27, 2023.
Mr Arhin stated that the observers were stationary observers who were stationed at sampled polling stations and observed proceedings from the start of polls to the end of closing, counting and declaration of results at assigned polling stations.
Additionally, he explained that there were some roaming observers who roamed or visited several polling stations throughout the day in the constituency. As part of their role, he noted that the observers impartially observed the process using CODEO’s observation checklist and incident forms.
Furthermore, he revealed that at precisely 7:20AM, at Methodist Primary School 2 in Breku, a journalist from Adom TV was interviewing electorates who were in a queue to vote, and he was confronted by a purported executive of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for conducting an interview at the polling station. To this, he stated that Police personnel located at the polling station swiftly intervened and that prevented the situation from degenerating.
“At the Methodist Primary School 2 in Bereku, two electorates were apprehended for taking a snapshot of the ballot paper after voting. When questioned about their actions, they claimed that an unidentified individual had tasked them to take a picture of the marked ballot as proof in return for a monetary reward. They were nearly arrested by security personnel, however, the matter was resolved amicably and the alleged offenders were let go.”
Coalition of Domestic Election Observers
CODEO commend EC, Police on job well done
Similarly, Mr Arhin expressed that around 1PM, a convoy of vehicles with NPP occupants, accompanied by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, pursued a vehicle occupied by NDC supporters from a different polling station to D/C Primary School in Praso (located within the Electoral Area with Polling Station Code B170801).
During this pursuit, he highlighted that the occupants of the NPP vehicles proceeded to vandalize and damage parts of the NDC vehicle, resulting in commotion and disturbance along the roadside.
“Security personnel intervened to calm the situation by removing the actors from the vicinity of the polling station to a distant location. However, it was reported that the individuals involved in the altercation fired gunshots and one person was injured and was taken to the hospital for treatment.”
Coalition of Domestic Election Observers
Despite the pockets of violence, Mr Arhin commended the Electoral Commission, the Ghana Police Service and the electorates for ensuring a largely peaceful by-election which was fully concluded after the winning candidate was declared.
“CODEO acknowledges that the conduct of the polls was consistent with the general rules and regulations which were adhered to by the polling officials. In addition, there were no shortage of materials and the biometric verification devices functioned well to very a large extent without any significant disruptions to the polls in any of the observed polling stations.”
Coalition of Domestic Election Observers
Meanwhile, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has congratulated the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its Assin North Parliamentary Candidate, James Gyakye Quayson, for the victory chalked in Tuesday’s by-elections. It said the victory only complements Ghana’s democratic credentials.
The ruling party stated that it had worked diligently towards annexing the seat but the results were otherwise. Nonetheless, it empahsized that it respects the decision by the people of Assin North Constituency.
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