In a dramatic turn of events, the Electoral Commission (EC) has declared Faustina Elikplim Akurugu of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the winner of the Dome-Kwabenya parliamentary seat, defeating her closest rival, Michael Aaron Oquaye Jnr. of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) by a margin of 298 votes.
Background to the Electoral Drama
The Dome-Kwabenya constituency, the stronghold of the NPP by Sarah Adwoa Sarfo was one of the highly contested seats in the 2024 general elections.
The election was marred by chaos and confusion at the collation center, leading to the destruction of pink sheets and results collation forms.
The EC had to intervene to ensure the completion of the collation process.
*The Controversy Surrounding the Abokobi Women’s Training Centre Polling Station*
At the center of the controversy was the Abokobi Women’s Training Centre polling station, where a presiding officer used a presidential training sheet instead of a parliamentary pink sheet to record the results.
The sheet was not signed by party agents, and the presiding officer claimed that she had to flee the scene due to threats from thugs.
*The Electoral Commission’s Investigation*
The EC launched an investigation into the matter, meeting with the presiding officer, party agents, and other stakeholders.
The commission discovered that the presiding officer had indeed used a presidential training sheet, but the results tallied with those recorded by the party agents on their tally sheets.
*The Declaration of Results*
After completing the investigation, the EC declared Faustina Elikplim Akurugu as the winner of the Dome-Kwabenya seat, with 50,967 votes, while Michael Aaron Oquaye Jr. Polled 50,669 votes.
The commission also announced that the total valid votes were 102,158, with 624 rejected ballots.
*Reactions to the Declaration*
The NDC has welcomed the declaration, while the NPP is yet to officially react.
The outcome of the election is seen as a significant victory for the NDC, which has been working to regain its footing in the constituency.
The Dome-Kwabenya parliamentary election has been one of the most dramatic and contentious in recent Ghanaian electoral history.
The EC’s investigation and declaration of results have brought closure to the process, but the controversy surrounding the Abokobi Women’s Training Centre polling station will likely be remembered for a long time to come.
-BY Daniel Bampoe