Ewurabena Aubynn, the parliamentary candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has been declared the winner of the Ablekuma North constituency in a dramatic turn of events, following significant disputes over the election results. This victory has sparked intense debate and allegations of misconduct involving the Electoral Commission (EC), particularly against its chairperson, Jean Mensa.
The election, held on December 7, 2024, was clouded by chaos and procedural issues. On December 10, 2024, the EC’s Returning Officer announced Aubynn as the winner, based on results from 219 out of 281 polling stations. However, the EC later reversed this decision, citing pressure on the Returning Officer and the absence of pink sheets from 62 polling stations. This move led to widespread outrage, with NDC supporters accusing the EC of undermining the electoral process. In response, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyieh, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, challenged the results, claiming discrepancies and vowing to seek legal action.
The situation escalated during the re-collation of results, which faced numerous setbacks. Six attempts to resolve the dispute were interrupted due to disagreements over the authenticity of pink sheets. The situation reached a boiling point on January 17, 2025, when the EC’s Greater Accra office was invaded, leading to property damage and further disruptions. Critics argue that the EC’s inability to produce original pink sheets for all polling stations added to the confusion and raised questions about its competence.
Representatives of the NDC insisted that the scanned copies and electronic data provided by the NPP were insufficient, and they called for the original declaration of Aubynn’s victory to be upheld, arguing that the results from the majority of polling stations had been properly verified.
Civil society groups have been vocal in their criticism of the EC’s handling of the situation. On January 10, 2025, the Positive Transparency and Accountability Movement-Africa (PTAAM-Africa) submitted a petition to President John Dramani Mahama, calling for the removal of Jean Mensa and her deputies. The petition highlights concerns over financial mismanagement, constitutional violations, and the handling of the 2020 voter register procurement, suggesting that Mensa’s leadership has eroded public trust in the electoral system.
Legal experts have weighed in on the issue, emphasizing that under Ghanaian electoral law, a Returning Officer is empowered to declare results based on the data from collated polling stations, provided the process is transparent. The absence of pink sheets for 62 polling stations, coupled with the EC’s failure to resolve the situation quickly, has led to questions about the EC’s adherence to Constitutional Instrument 127 (CI 127). Many critics argue that upholding the initial declaration in favor of Aubynn would align with the principle of respecting the will of the voters, given the verified results from the majority of polling stations.
As the situation unfolds, calls for accountability and transparency in Ghana’s electoral process are growing louder, with significant pressure mounting on Jean Mensa and the EC to address these concerns.
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