Kumawu by-election: Notice of poll circulating on social media fake – EC

Management of the Electoral Commission (EC) has described as fake a notice of poll for the upcoming Kumawu by-election circulating on social media.

A notice of poll with two independent candidates wearing kente cloth with each having a symbol of a bird was circulated on the internet.

But the EC in a statement clarified that a draft notice of poll, bearing the photograph of the independent candidates with similar names, attires and symbols was prepared and submitted to the Commission for approval from the district office.

This, the EC explained that it was neither approved by the Commission nor gazetted adding that the version circulating on social media was never gazetted.

“The attention of the Electoral Commission has been drawn to a Notice of Poll circulating on social media purporting to be that of the Kumawu By-Election. The Notice of Poll has the photos of two Independent Candidates, wearing kente cloth. The said Candidates have the symbol of a bird”.

EC further clarified, “For the information of the Public, both Independent Candidates presented photographs of themselves in kente and a picture of a bird as their symbol to our District Officer in Kumawu. Based on this, a draft Notice of Poll, bearing the photograph of the Independent Candidates with similar names, attires and symbols was prepared and submitted to the Commission for approval”.

The EC in its statement added that it applied the Public Elections Regulations and assigned the second independent candidate a hoe as his symbol after he refused to heed advice to change his symbol.

“When this anomaly came to the notice of the Commission, the second Independent Candidate
was advised to change his symbol since he was the last to submit his Nomination Form. He refused to do so causing the Commission to apply Regulation 14(1) (b) and (c) of the Public Elections Regulations, 2020, C.I. 127 which states as follows: The Commission has assigned him the symbol of a hoe which is reflected in the Notice of Poll posted throughout Kumawu,” EC clarified in its statement.

The Kumawu by-election comes off Tuesday, May 23 and the ballot paper has Ernest Yaw Anim, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate as the first, followed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Kwasi Amankwaa, then followed by the two independent candidates in that order.

The by-election is coming off following the demise of the late MP, Philip Basoah, who died in March and was buried Saturday, May 20.