The Fanteakwa North constituency has been thrown into chaos following the Electoral Commission’s re-declaration of the parliamentary election results.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is crying foul, alleging that the EC’s actions are unlawful and constitute contempt of court.
According to eyewitnesses, on December 10, 2024, the official Returning Officer for Fanteakwa North, Zacharia Adams, was forced by NDC supporters wielding cutlasses to declare Haruna Apaw Wiredu as the winner of the parliamentary election
Haruna Wiredu was announced as having garnered 11,138 votes, narrowly edging out his New Patriotic Party (NPP) opponent, Kwame Appiah Kodua, who polled 10,847 votes.
However, the NPP raised concerns over the authenticity of pink sheets from two polling stations, prompting the EC to suspend proceedings and conduct a thorough review.
The review, led by a Deputy Returning Officer, revealed significant discrepancies in the pink sheets, which ultimately tipped the balance in favor of Kwame Kodua.
The revised figures secured the seat for the NPP, leaving the NDC reeling.
In a dramatic twist, the EC’s re-declaration of the results sparked legal action from the NDC.
The party’s lawyers filed a motion at the Koforidua High Court, seeking to nullify the EC’s re-declaration of the results.
The motion argues that the re-declaration was unlawful and exceeded the jurisdiction of the Deputy Returning Officer.
Lawyer Isaac M. Larbi, who represents Haruna Apaw Wiredu, maintains that only the designated Returning Officer, as prescribed by law, has the authority to declare election results.
“In Ghana, there are only two authorized returning officers: one for parliamentary elections and one for presidential elections. For parliamentary elections, the Returning Officer in the constituency is the only individual empowered to declare the results,” he emphasized.
The NDC’s legal team insists that the original declaration by the official Returning Officer stands unless overturned by a court of competent jurisdiction.
-BY Daniel Bampoe