The Electoral Commission (EC) has dismissed the notice of poll circulating on social media platforms purporting to be related to the upcoming Kumawu by-election.

The notice, which has been widely shared, purported to be an official announcement from the EC, has the photos of two independent candidates, wearing kente cloth and the said candidates have the symbol of a bird. This, the EC noted, was neither approved by the Commission nor gazetted.

“The attention of the Electoral Commission has been drawn to a Notice of Poll circulating on social media purporting to be that of the Kumawu By-Election… A draft Notice of Poll, bearing the photograph of the Independent Candidates with similar names, attires and symbols was prepared and submitted to the Commission for approval. It was neither approved by the Commission nor gazetted.”
Electoral Commission

Furthermore, the Electoral Commission stated that a notice of poll becomes legal and binding only after it is gazetted. As such, the version circulating on social media was never gazetted and it’s a mere draft reflecting the photographs and symbols presented to the District Officer.

It further noted that it had to apply the Public Elections Regulations and assigned the second independent candidate a hoe as his symbol after he refused to heed advice to change his symbol.

“When this anomaly came to the notice of the Commission, the second Independent Candidate was advised to change his symbol since he was the last to submit his Nomination Form. He refused to do so causing the Commission to apply Regulation 14(1) (b) and (c) of the Public Elections Regulations, 2020, C.I. 127.”
Electoral Commission

The EC assured the public that they are actively investigating the origin of the fake notice and will take appropriate action against those responsible for its creation and dissemination.

It will be recalled that the Electoral Commission changed the symbol of one of the independent candidates, Kwaku Duah in the upcoming Kumawu by-election. The Commission stated that it was compelled to change the symbol of the second independent candidate which conflicted with that of the other independent candidate.

This means, one of the candidates, Kwaku Duah, would no longer be represented by a falcon, as advertised earlier in a draft notice of poll.

EC authorities to change symbols

Ashanti Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Benjamin Bano-Bio, revealed that the EC is mandated by CI 127 to approve and disapprove symbols of independent candidates and political parties.

Electorates in the Kumawu constituency until now have expressed misgivings about the two independent parliamentary candidates who appear in Kente cloth but are represented by a dove and a falcon.

Some constituents have indicated that the move could form part of a ploy to dissuade supporters of one of the independent candidates who contested the late Member of Parliament, Philip Basoah in the 2020 parliamentary election.

Whilst the then-incumbent MP polled 14,960 votes, the independent candidate, Kwaku Duah polled 11, 698 votes, representing 51 and 39 per cent respectively.

Mr Bano-Bio has however noted that the first draft of the Notice of Poll which had the dove and falcon was leaked to the public. He explained that the NDC parliamentary candidate, Kwasi Amankwaa, also changed his picture.

Prior to this, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, assured residents of Kumawu that road projects currently ongoing in the constituency were no fluke and would not stop after the by-election on Tuesday, May 23, 2023.

He stated that the road projects in the constituency had been procured together with those of the Kwabre East. Additionally, he highlighted that it was just unfortunate and a coincidence that the works were taking place following the death of the former Member of Parliament (MP) of the area, Philip Atta Basoah.