In the recently held presidential elections of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), official results from the Electoral Commission (EC) Ghana reveal that a total of 898 votes were rejected.
Out of the overall votes cast, which amounted to 193,339, only 192,441 votes were deemed valid.
The rejection of such a substantial number of votes raises questions and concerns about the literacy level of the NPP delegates who are mostly polling station executives. These rejected ballots could have potentially impacted the overall outcome of the elections. It is essential that the NPP and the EC thoroughly investigate the reasons behind the high number of rejected votes to ensure a fair and credible electoral process.
In line with the recent results, the regional outcomes from the 2023 NPP Extraordinary Delegates Conference for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia are as follows:
These regional results demonstrate strong support for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia within the NPP party winning 14 out of the 16 regions.
Heading into the upcoming elections, these figures could potentially boost his campaign and position him favorably as the NPP’s presidential candidate.
The rejected votes, however, highlight the need for the NPP to address any potential flaws in its election processes and ensure that such issues are resolved before the general election. Transparency and credibility in the electoral process are crucial to maintaining public trust and confidence in the democratic system.
The NPP and the EC should undertake comprehensive measures to investigate the reasons behind the high number of rejected votes and implement necessary reforms to prevent similar issues from arising in the future.
The fair and accurate representation of the people’s will is paramount in a democratic society.
As the NPP prepares for the upcoming general election, it is crucial that all stakeholders work together to address any challenges and maintain the integrity of the electoral process. Only then can the people of Ghana have trust in the outcome of the elections and the leaders chosen to represent their interests.
Meanwhile, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was crowned as the frontrunner in the primaries after winning 14 out of the 16 regions.
In a landslide victory, Dr. Bawumia managed to secure victories in all regions, except for the Volta and Central regions. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong claimed second place, winning some major regions and constituencies against the Vice President.
Former Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto and former Mampong Member of Parliament, Ing. Francis Addai-Nimoh secured the third and fourth place respectively in the primaries.
According to the breakdown of the regional votes, in the Volta Region, Agyapong gathered 5,850 votes, whereas Bawumia received 4,984.
The Western Region saw Agyapong receiving 4,800 votes and Bawumia securing 7,465 votes.
In the Central Region, Agyapong garnered 10,828 votes, while Bawumia received 6,159 votes.
The Ashanti Region firmly favored Bawumia, who won with 22,205 votes against Agyapong’s 11,390 votes.
In the Upper West Region, Bawumia won 4,878 votes while Agyapong received 1,084 votes. The Eastern Region saw Bawumia securing 13,387 votes and Agyapong receiving 6,794 votes.
Per these results, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is now the leader of the NPP party going into the 2024 general elections.
By Vincent Kubi