The Electoral Commission (EC) has successfully completed the special voting exercise in 14 out of the 16 regions in the country. The exercise, held on Monday, 2 December, saw thousands of security personnel, media representatives, electoral officers, and individuals who would be occupied during the 7 December general elections cast their ballots at designated voting centres.
Notable among the special voters were the EC’s Chairperson, Jean Mensa, who cast her ballot in the La-Dadekotopon constituency, and the Inspector General of Police and Chairman of the National Election Security Taskforce, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, who voted at the Tema Community 2 polling station, both in the Greater Accra Region.
The 2 December special voting exercise, while generally peaceful, witnessed some pockets of tension in a few constituencies. The Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency was one of the major areas making headlines, following tension between the two leading parliamentary candidates.
The incident was sparked by the incumbent MP, Lydia Seyram Alhassan, distributing packs of food to prison officers who were queuing to cast their ballots at the Legon Police Station. This gesture was met with angry reactions from her opponent, the NDC’s John Dumelo, who questioned the action.
The incident, which underscored concerns about vote-buying in Ghana’s politics, was widely condemned by sections of the public and has since been taken up by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
Further tensions arose in the constituency when some voters allegedly attempted to photograph their ballot papers after voting.
The Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency was not the only area where allegations of vote-buying surfaced. A similar incident was recorded in the Odododiodio constituency, also in the Greater Accra Region, where the NDC’s candidate, Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie, accused his main opponent, the NPP’s Abdul Manaf Sowah, of distributing money to voters. In response, Sowah stated that the funds were merely “transportation” for about 80 voters and argued that he did nothing wrong.
In the Cape Coast North constituency, the NDC’s candidate, Dr Kwabena Mintah Nyarko, accused the NPP’s Ekow Ewusi of wearing party colours to the polling station. Ewusi, dressed in a white polo shirt with red and blue striped cuffs and collars, denied the accusation.
In Walewale in the North East Region, an officer of the Ghana National Fire Service was arrested for allegedly photographing his ballot paper after voting for his preferred presidential candidate.
In an interesting development in the Ledzokuku constituency of the Greater Accra Region, supporters of both the NDC and NPP were seen jubilating after voting had closed. Speaking to the media, the NDC’s candidate, Nii Ayiku, expressed confidence in winning a majority of the votes despite the ballots not yet being counted.
In the Bawku constituency, the special voting exercise was conducted smoothly despite recent attacks in the area.
Following the completion of Monday’s exercise, the EC will now hold the special voting for the Eastern and Western Regions on Thursday, 5 December, after deciding to recall ballot papers for both regions.
This will set the stage for the crucial 7 December presidential and parliamentary elections, where over 18 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots.
The lessons learnt from the 2 December special voting exercise will shape the preparedness of the Electoral Commission and the security agencies ahead of the crucial 7 December polls.
Meanwhile, the EC Chairperson, the IGP, and the presidential candidates have pledged to ensure peace before, during, and after the 2024 general elections.