A committee set up to investigate an incident in which electoral officers aided Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to verify his name outside the designated area has backed the sacking of the officials involved.

According to the findings of the three-Member Committee, the conduct of the officers was a violation of the guidelines issued for the Voter Exhibition exercise and contrary to the Commission’s policies.

The EC dismissed two officials, Yobe Ambrose and Mumuni Latifa who worked at its Walewale District office for allegedly taking the voter's register and verification machine to a location other than the advertised station for the Vice Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party to have his particulars checked in the exhibition exercise.

The two were accused by the NDC of receiving money but the NPP dismissed the allegation as baseless. The opposition party insisted that the two men on their own brought the equipment for Dr. Bawumia to very his registration details but he turned them away.

In the ensuing debates, a three-member Committee was set up by the EC  to investigate the matter.

Below is a statement from the Commission on the incident:

The Electoral Commission’s attention was drawn to an incident of involving the verification of a voter outside the designated Exhibition Centre number H230401 at the Kperiga Presby JHS ‘A’ in Walewale in the West Mamprusi District on 24^th July, 2016.

A 3-member committee was set up by the Northern Regional Directorate of the Commission to investigate the incident and provide appropriate recommendations. The Committee has completed its work and found as follows:

1. That on the said date, Mr. Ambrose Yobe (Exhibition Officer) and Ms. Mumuni Latifa (Verification Officer) closed and vacated their exhibition centre before the stipulated closing time of 6pm.
2. That Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was facilitated by both officers to check his name in the voters’ register and got verified outside the exhibition centre.
3. The Committee was of the considered opinion that the conduct of the Officers was a violation of the guidelines issued for the exercise and contrary to the Commission’s policies.

According to the rules and the guidelines:

1. Only the Commission has the mandate to designate specific areas as Exhibition Centres.
2. Exhibition Officials have no authority to set-up or relocate Exhibition Centres to a place different from the one designated by the Commission without the prior express authorization of the EC.
3. Exhibition Officials are not permitted under any circumstances to vacate their duty posts or close their centres before the specified closing hours without prior authorization from the Commission.

The Committee concluded that allowing a registered voter to go through the exhibition process outside the designated centre was an irregularity and a breach of the rules. Accordingly, the two Officers were replaced by the Ag. District Electoral Officer as soon as the issue was brought to the attention of the Commission.

The Commission wishes to advice political leaders to familiarize themselves with the electoral laws and regulations to enable them to insist on the right things being done at all times.

The Commission would like to further encourage members of the public to continue to support the electoral process by promptly bringing any irregularities to its attention for speedy resolution.

Thank you.