Ablekuma North: Collation suspended for 24 Hours over Disputed Pink Sheets
The Electoral Commission (EC) has suspended the collation of parliamentary election results for the Ablekuma North constituency in the Greater Accra Region, citing discrepancies in results from some outstanding polling stations.
The suspension is expected to afford the Commission the opportunity to verify 21 disputed pink sheets out of 62 outstanding polling station results following confusion over the submission of scanned and soft copies of pink sheets by the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) strongly opposed the process and criticized the use of scanned documents describing it as unprecedented and unacceptable.
In protest, the NDC withdrew from the collation, prompting the EC to suspend proceedings. Vincent Obeng, the Returning Officer for Ablekuma North assured that the collation process will remain on hold for at least 24 hours to allow for verification of the disputed figures before a winner is declared.
This comes after an Accra High Court on January 4, 2025, ordered the EC to finalize collation in four constituencies—Tema Central, Ablekuma North, Okaikwei Central, and Techiman South—by January 6, 2025. The ruling followed mandamus applications filed by NPP candidates, pushing for the EC to fulfil its statutory obligations.
With results already declared in Tema Central, Okaikwei Central, and Techiman South in favour of the NPP, Ablekuma North remains the final constituency awaiting collation.
Source: Ekow Annan || newsalertgh.com