Ebi Bright, Dafeamekpor boycott re-collation over process dispute

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) representatives at the Tema Central re-collation unit at the Electoral Commission’s (EC) Ridge Office, have boycotted the exercise, citing concerns over alleged procedural unfairness.

The Tema Central Parliamentary seat is one of nine constituencies ordered by the High Court for re-collation due to disputes over the initial results.

Disagreement Over Process

The NDC team, which included South Dayi MP Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor and Tema Central parliamentary candidate Ebi Bright, raised objections to the EC’s approach. They accused the Tema Metropolitan Director of the EC, Manasseh Ofosuhene Asante, of failing to adhere to the court’s directive.

Dafeamekpor contended that the court ruling explicitly required the re-collation to start afresh, but the EC was instead continuing from where the process left off. He argued that this deviation could compromise the integrity of the exercise.

Call for Returning Officer’s Involvement

The NDC also insisted that the Tema Central Returning Officer should oversee the re-collation process rather than the Tema Metropolitan Director.

They accused Ofosuhene Asante of acting in favour of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), further fueling their decision to boycott.

“We’re leaving we can’t be part of the process, the court said to do it afresh. the court didn’t say that go and start from where you left off. The court said the process was illegal, so start afresh. You are not the returning officer, stop interfering in the process.

“You are a very corrupt man, you have been having conversations with NPP people, and you think we don’t know? We cannot be part of this.

“The Tema Metropolitan Director of the EC, Mr Ofosuhene, who has no role in this process, is the returning officer who has the power, again he has taken over the process and he’s commandeering everything, we will not be part of the process.

“The court says re-collate, tabulate and he wants to continue from where he left off, what did you leave off? he’s deciding the process according to his whims and caprices. He doesn’t want to go by the law.”

Earlier, the EC declared the Obuasi seat for NPP’s Boakye-Yiadom after a hotly contested recount of the figures.