The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has commended the Electoral Commission (EC), the Ghana Police Service, and the electorate in the Assin North constituency of the Central Region for their collective efforts in ensuring that the bye-election was largely peaceful.
According to the coalition, each stakeholder effectively played its role which led to the success of the bye-election.
In a press release the National Coordinator of CODEO, Albert Kofi Arhin, said “CODEO would like to commend the Electoral Commission, the Ghana Police Service and the electorate for ensuring a largely peaceful bye-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 was adhered to by the polling officials. In addition, there were no shortage of materials and the biometric verification devices functioned well to a very large extent without any significant disruptions to the polls in any of the observed polling stations.”
Although the statement said the election was largely peaceful, CODEO acknowledged there were a few instances where violence almost erupted, but for the timely intervention of the police.
The release made reference to an incident at the Methodist Primary School 2 polling station at Breku, where a journalist was confronted by a purported executive of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for interviewing electorate who were in a queue to vote.
Again at Breku, two voters were apprehended for taking a snapshot of the ballot paper after voting. 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.
CODEO says there was also an incident where a convoy of vehicles with NPP occupants, accompanied by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Antwi Bosiako (Chairman Wontumi), pursued a vehicle occupied by NDC supporters from a different polling station to D/C Primary School at Praso which resulted in parts of the NDC vehicle being damaged, resulting in commotion and disturbance along the roadside.
The June 28 statement stressed that although each incident was skillfully handled by the police, the incidents must be investigated and offenders brought to book.
“CODEO condemns the violent incident which occurred in the constituency and nearly blotted the elections. On this note, the Coalition calls on the Ghana Police Service to urgently investigate the incident and prosecute all persons found culpable to serve as a deterrent,” it added.
Ahead of the June 27 by-election, CODEO deployed 15 observers in fulfillment of its mandate to mobilise citizens of Ghana to actively participate in the electoral process and to complement the efforts of the Electoral Commission in ensuring transparent, free, fair, and peaceful elections.
Below is the full statement:
