President-elect John Dramani Mahama has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to uphold fairness, consistency, and integrity in its handling of disputed parliamentary results.
His remarks follow the EC’s announcement that it would not uphold the declaration of results in nine constituencies, citing that some declarations were made under duress.
The affected constituencies include Ablekuma North, Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Techiman South, and Dome-Kwabenya, among others.
Mahama criticized the EC for what he termed a selective application of rules, highlighting inconsistencies in how similar cases have been addressed in the past.
He referenced the Techiman South controversy during the 2020 general elections, where the EC declared parliamentary results despite reported irregularities and objections from stakeholders.
The President-elect questioned the Commission’s decision to suspend the re-collation of results in the nine constituencies, pointing to procedural breaches and alleged threats to its staff.
Mahama argued that, such inconsistencies undermine public trust in the EC and threaten the credibility of Ghana’s electoral process.
Speaking to African ambassadors and high commissioners on Friday, December 20, Mahama stressed the need for transparency and fairness in the EC’s operations.
He urged the commission to engage all political stakeholders and ensure that justice is both done and visibly upheld.
Addressing the outstanding disputes, Mahama stated, “The few outstanding issues arising from the elections, where nine constituencies are in dispute, require the EC to act in a principled manner. You cannot change the rules when it suits you and apply different rules under similar circumstances.”
He pointed out the disparity between the current situation and the EC’s stance during the 2020 elections, stating, “In 2020, the EC made it clear that if a declaration had been made, it was not their role to adjudicate grievances; the courts were the appropriate forum. In the case of Techiman South, where the declaration was made under duress amidst chaos and military presence, the EC refused calls for re-collation, insisting the matter should be resolved in court.”
Mahama concluded by emphasizing the importance of fairness, saying, “The goalposts must not shift based on who is involved. Fairness and justice must underpin everything we do. The EC’s actions must inspire confidence in our democratic institutions among citizens and the international community alike.”
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