Hon. Rockson-Nelson Etse Dafeamekpor, Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi Constituency, has cautioned Electoral Commission (EC) officials allegedly involved in unauthorized ballot box evacuations, purportedly in connivance with Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
In a strongly worded statement, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) legislator warned of severe legal consequences for those engaged in such acts, which he described as undermining the electoral process.
Hon. Dafeamekpor alleged that some EC officials were clandestinely transporting ballot boxes from constituencies like Fanteakwa to Tesano in Accra to facilitate what he termed “a second declaration” in favor of NPP parliamentary candidates.
He characterized these actions as blatant violations of electoral laws, emphasizing the potential repercussions for those involved.
“All those EC officers who are conniving with Hon Afenyo Markin & his Npp to evacuate Ballot Boxes ex parte from far away constituencies like Fanteakwa to Tesano in Accra to do a 2nd declaration unilaterally for Npp PCs, I pity you.”
Hon. Rockson-Nelson Etse Dafeamekpor Esq, NDC MP for South Dayi Constituency
The National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament further accused some EC officials of being partisan operatives disguised in official capacity, asserting that their actions jeopardize the credibility of Ghana’s democratic processes.
He expressed the NDC’s firm resolve to protect its parliamentary mandates, alluding to the party’s readiness to counter such actions through “reasonable force” if necessary.
“When the NDC decided to apply reasonable force to protect its parliamentary mandates, NPP was crying and begging JM [John Mahama] to call us to order. Now, it’s the NPP and Afenyo who are using thuggery and physical violence to get declared results ‘reversed.’ Nobody has called them to order yet”.
Hon. Rockson-Nelson Etse Dafeamekpor Esq, NDC MP for South Dayi Constituency
A Call to Avoid Electoral Chaos
The South Dayi legislator urged the Electoral Commission of Ghana to avoid actions that could lead to electoral unrest.
He emphasized that under Article 99(1) of the 1992 Constitution, any grievances regarding parliamentary election results must be addressed through the courts and not through extra-judicial measures.
“Tesano Police Station is not the High Court contemplated under Article 99(1),” he asserted, highlighting the impropriety of such alleged declarations. Hon. Dafeamekpor hinted that the NDC would not recognize any “reversed” results facilitated by these alleged manipulations.
Instead, the party intends to present all its duly declared parliamentary candidates for swearing-in on January 7. “We shall all solve this the political way. We shall present all our duly declared PCs on the 7th to be sworn in. The EC better avoid the disaster it’s creating ahead,” he declared.
The MP’s statement concluded with a Latin phrase, “Spiritus Invictus”, implying unconquerable spirit, underscoring the party’s determination to uphold electoral fairness.
Hon. Dafeamakpor’s comments amid concerns by the opposition National Democratic Congress about the impartiality of the Electoral Commission and the sanctity of the result of some parliamentary seats.
In an earlier statement, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) issued an urgent call to the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana to immediately cease an ongoing collation or recollation exercise reportedly taking place at the Tesano Police Training School.
Hon. Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the NDC, who signed the statement, expressed serious concerns about the integrity and legality of the exercise, describing it as a potential threat to national peace and democratic stability.
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