https://www.myjoyonline.com/tensions-erupt-over-dome-kwabenya-polling-station-collation/-------https://www.myjoyonline.com/tensions-erupt-over-dome-kwabenya-polling-station-collation/

The collation of Dome Kwabenya polling station results at the Electoral Commission (EC) head office took a dramatic turn as disagreements between political parties and the EC threatened to derail the process.

At the heart of the contention were conflicting claims over the number of polling stations requiring re-collation and the validity of earlier declarations.

The dispute began when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate, Mike Oquaye Junior, raised objections to the ongoing collation process, JoyNews' James Avedzi reported.

According to the MP aspirant, there were discrepancies regarding the number of polling stations left to be collated before the chaos that marred the earlier process.

“In the dying hours of the collation in the constituency, just before the chaos erupted, there were 88 polling stations left to be collated,” the reporter said.

He said Mr Oquaye argued that the NPP was not present for the collation of 85 out of these 88 polling stations, which, according to him, invalidated the subsequent declaration made in their absence.

This objection was met with resistance from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which maintained that only three polling stations were outstanding.

The NDC insisted that the process should focus solely on these three polling stations and that the rest of the results were valid as declared.

As tensions flared, a meeting was convened to reach a consensus. Following deliberations, the EC representative addressed the parties, announcing a compromise.

“It has been agreed that among the three outstanding polling stations, one result had already been entered on the presidential tally sheet. That polling station will be set aside,” the reporter explained explained.

The agreement stipulated that the remaining two polling stations would be collated, and their results added to the overall tally.

If the inclusion of these results significantly altered the rankings, a rerun of the election would be held at the contentious polling station whose results had been recorded on the presidential sheet.

The resolution provided a temporary calm to the proceedings, but the process remains under close scrutiny.

The NDC continues to demand strict adherence to the initial claim of three outstanding polling stations, while the NPP insists on addressing the alleged discrepancies involving the earlier collation.

This development highlights the challenges of electoral transparency and fairness, especially in high-stakes constituencies like Dome Kwabenya.

Both parties and the EC are expected to ensure that the final results reflect the will of the people, amidst growing calls for accountability and credibility in the process.

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