Tensions surrounding the Ablekuma North parliamentary election took a dramatic turn as aspiring MP Ewurabena Aubynn of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) alleged irregularities and chaos during the collation of results.
Speaking on PM Express on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, she disclosed that the party lost crucial pink sheets after mayhem erupted when the Electoral Commission (EC) introduced what she described as “strange figures.”
The allegations come against the backdrop of a heated and contentious collation process that saw a party official slam the table of EC officials, triggering chaos among supporters and a brief physical altercation.
Recounting the events, Ms Aubynn said the confusion began when discrepancies arose between figures announced by the EC and results collated from polling stations.
“We spent two days and nights at our constituency collation centre tabulating figures and results simply because the EC wasn’t being straightforward with us,” she said.
Ms Aubynn alleged that the mayhem was further fueled when the EC started announcing results that were inconsistent with polling station records.
“The mayhem began when the EC started calling out figures, and supporters outside heard them. They said, ‘Why are they mentioning some strange figures we didn’t hear from polling stations?’” she explained.
Ms Aubynn accused the outgoing Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of sneaking parliamentary pink sheets into the collation centre to favour the NPP candidate.
“Our outgoing MCE sneaked in parliamentary pink sheets to favour the NPP candidate, even at the constituency collation centre,” she claimed, adding that this act intensified tensions in an already volatile atmosphere.
Aubynn revealed that the chaotic scene at the collation centre led to the loss of vital pink sheets that were critical for challenging the results.
“Unfortunately, in the course of the collation, a group of people barged in from nowhere. During the scuffle, this is where all three parties—let me speak for the NDC—lost some of our pink sheets,” she said.
However, Aubynn clarified that her team had already collated results before the pink sheets were lost.
“We had already collated our results. If the EC had made it known to us that we could use scanned copies or snapshots on our phones to confirm the results, we would have done that long ago,” she lamented.
Ms Aubynn criticised the EC’s approach to managing the collation process and communicating guidelines.
“We thought we needed the actual statement of poll (pink sheets) to present, and that is what we had lost,” she added, expressing frustration over the lack of clarity on alternative options like scanned documents.
Ms Aubynn called on the EC to be more transparent and efficient in its processes to avoid similar incidents in future elections.
“We cannot allow such discrepancies and chaos to undermine our democracy. The will of the people must be respected, and due process must be upheld,” she stated.
The collation process at Ablekuma North was marked by high tensions and allegations of foul play from both sides.
The reported table-slamming incident by a party official escalated matters, leading to clashes between supporters and resulting in a brief physical altercation.
While the EC has yet to release a statement on the matter, Ms Aubynn’s allegations add to the growing calls for reforms in Ghana’s electoral process, particularly in handling disputes and ensuring accuracy in results.
