Opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament yesterday besieged the Headquarters of the Electoral Commission (EC) with belligerence, vehemently clashing with the police.
The MPs invaded the place and attempted to present a petition to the EC on the Techiman South parliamentary elections result.
They initially breached two police barricades but were finally halted with multiple police vehicles including hot water cannons at the junction to the Commission’s offices.
Led by the Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu and the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, the legislators verbally attacked the police and rained curses on EC boss Jean Mensa.
Some of the MPs gleefully admitted breaching the law and engaging in near fisticuffs with the police.
“I was in a scuffle and I manage to breakthrough and go out,” A. B. A Fuseini, MP for Sagnarigu boasted.
The NDC MPs were not able to present their petition to the EC, which they described as a sad development for democracy.
Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu who addressed the media after side failed to meet EC officials indicated that the petition was to demand the EC to properly collate the Techiman South Constituency Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Results from all the 266 Polling stations in accordance with the law.
According to him, pursuant to regulation 43 (2) of C.I. 127, the endorsed writ, gazette notification and notice to Clerk of Parliament be amended accordingly to reflect the true state of affairs.
He explained that the NDC Caucus of the current Parliament is fully aligned with the contention of the Flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama and the National Executive Committee of the NDC that the results of the Presidential Elections stand rejected and therefore awaiting further instruction from the party’s leadership in that regard.
“We have received and studied a petition from our Parliamentary Candidate and winner of the Techiman South Parliamentary Election, Christopher Beyere Baasongti on the happenings in Techiman South.
“The Presidential and Parliamentary elections conducted nationally on the 7th of December 2020, the Returning Officer for Techiman South Constituency in the Bono East Region could not collate the results for both the Presidential and the Parliamentary candidates after the Polling Stations results had been counted and all Ballot Boxes sent to the Collation Centre in accordance with C.I. 127,” he said.
The Minority leader averred that following the insecurity that led to dispersing of the party’s agents and the fact that the collation centre was changed without prior notice to the NDC, no collation could have taken place that day.
“In such circumstances, neither the NDC Candidate nor any of his Agents were informed or invited for the purpose of collating the Presidential and Parliamentary elections results at a later date.
“To all intents and purposes, no collation could have taken place and no collation took place in accordance with the provisions of C.I. 127,” he stated.
He explained that as at the time of the petition, no copy of the Parliamentary or Presidential Results Sheets has been furnished the NDC Candidates, or their representatives or counting agents.
In an interview, MP for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey. George, expressed disappointment at the turn of events with the police and stressed their action was uncalled for.
The Minority, he said, by a letter informed the Commission and the police of its decision to present the petition and noted the plot to halt them was a slap on Ghana’s democracy.
Member for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, stated that the refusal of the EC to receive the petition would compel the Minority and the NDC to resort to other avenues to make themselves heard.
Every lover of democracy, he said, should be concerned that Ghana, which serves as the beacon of democracy for Africa is experiencing such challenge after a general election.
Coordinated demos
The protest march by the Minority Caucus followed several pockets of demonstration across the country by members of the main opposition NDC against the EC and its management, who they have accused of stealing victory for the incumbent President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Out of the 13,119,460 total valid votes cast, President of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) polled 6,730,587 votes representing 51.30 per cent.
His closest contender, former President John Mahama of the NDC, polled 6,213,182, representing 47.36 per cent.
