Expedite action on release of poll results – Peace council to EC

• Posted on December 8, 2016
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Peace Council has urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to ensure a timely certification and declaration of winners of the 2016 presidential and parliamentary polls.

The Council says the delay in the release of the results to Ghanaians is creating “anxiety, uncertainty, needless tension and unhealthy speculation.”

At a news briefing in Accra Thursday, Council Chairman, Professor Reverend Emmanuel Asante said that although it is necessary for the EC to exhaust its mechanisms in the collation of the results, it should not keep the public in the dark.

The delay in the release of results for both the presidential and parliamentary polls by the EC has sparked media battle between the governing National Democratic Congress and New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The NPP was first to hold a press conference declaring victory in the presidential poll when the results have not be declared by the EC Chairperson, Charlotte Osei.

NPP Campaign Manager, Peter McManu who addressed the media predicted about 54 percent victory for the NPP leader, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

This was followed by a counter press conference addressed by NDC Director of Elections, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo who discredited figures put out by the NPP.

He said the NDC will not commit any constitutional blunder by declaring the results when the EC, a body mandated to do that is yet to do it.

There have been two other press conferences.

Although the Council is unhappy with the development, it believes the breakdown in communication on the part of the EC is to be blamed.

Prof. Asante appealed to the various political parties and general public to “exercise some restraint and wait patiently for the declaration of the results by the EC.”

While lauding Ghanaians for their conduct during Wednesday’s exercise, the Council urged calm as the EC goes about its constitutional duties.

“Let us continue to consolidate our gains by respecting the legal, institutional, and administrative frameworks governing our electoral process,” Prof. Asante said.

-Myjoyonline