The Electoral Commission (EC) has suspended the re-collation of parliamentary results for four disputed constituencies in the Eastern Region.
On Thursday, 12 December, the commission directed the re-collation of results for the Suhum, Nsawam, Fanteakwa North, and Akwatia constituencies following the parliamentary election held on Saturday, 7 December. These constituencies have been a source of contention between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Subsequently, the parliamentary seats for Akwatia and Suhum were declared in favour of candidates from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). However, the move sparked tension, as the NDC challenged both results, describing the re-collation as an illegality.
At a press conference, NDC Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah demanded an immediate halt to the process, warning of severe repercussions.
He stated:
It is not founded on any laws of our elections. Neither is it based on any consensus that has been reached between the parties and the Electoral Commission. And so we want to inform the nation and to give notice to any officials of the Commission and the police who are involved in the perpetration of that illegality to know that there could be consequences of their actions in future.
On Friday, 13 December, the NDC’s head of legal affairs, Edudzi Tamakloe, secured an injunction against the collation of results for the Nsawam-Adoagyiri constituency.
Meanwhile, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has asserted that the NPP will not be intimidated into losing parliamentary seats it has won legitimately.
In light of the escalating tension, the EC has now suspended the re-collation exercise.