The Electoral Commission (EC) says it is early yet after voting for anyone to stampede it to declare results, moreover, its electronic result transmission system has been compromised.
Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Charlotte Osei, the Chair of the EC said, “Prior to the elections we announced that we were going to use two methods of results transmission. We were going to use both the electronic and manual systems.
The electronic would have enable us to see results of all the 29,000 polling stations at the same time as recommended by the reform committee after the 2012 elections before we declare results.
Unfortunately, we had problems with the system, we have reason to believe that the system has been compromised and so we advised our returning officers at the collation centres to stop using it and revert solely to the manual.”
24 hours after the polls have ended, certified results are trickling in at snail pace, not as expected by the population.
Mad. Osei stated that there were some challenges with some few constituencies.
“For instance there was an error in collation at Team East and for a while there were some outstanding polling stations results. Those issues have been resolved,” she said.
Adding that in others the EC had some challenges with polling station centres, it was agreed that they move to the constituency collation centre.
“There were some arguments among the parties, which resulted in our electricity supply being cut and so there was no power. We have been working with the security services to try and resolve that issue. We still haven’t received results from the Northern and Volta region, and so we are still waiting to receive those,” she said.
She indicated that the EC as at 5:00pm today, received results from 90 constituencies for presidential and parliamentary at the national collation centre.
“90 results have however, not been signed by all the agents of the candidates at the national collation centre. They are saying they want to see the pink sheet from all the polling stations for all the 90 constituencies,” she said.
She however, pointed out that the absence of signatures doesn’t invalidate results.
“But yesterday when we held elections we used a process that was inclusive, transparent and very credible and we will like to continue with that same principles in the collation of the results.
We are giving the agents a bit more time, but in the meantime, the results will be put out to the public,” she said.
She pointed out that there’s been lots of anxiety and calls on the commission to release results, and the EC has noted with concern, that the two big political parties have held press conferences either stating that they have won or stating that they are ahead.
“We want to reiterate that the commission does not declare results based on results declared by political parties. There is a legal process of collating results and we intend to follow that process,” she indicated.
“We want to remind the public that it’s only been 24 hours since the polls closed and we want to remind the public that in this election we have had more polling stations than 2008. When elections were held on December 7, the results were declared on December 10. It led to a run-off on the 28 and the results for that run-off were declared on the 30,” she said.
She therefore urged that it is important that prudence is exercised to ensure that the results that are declared are accurate
“It is better for us to make sure that results are properly signed off and collated before we declare.
In 2012 elections were held on December 7, and results were declared only 72 hours later, so 24 hours is not too long, and so I urge all of you to please be patient,” she said.
She said the Commission was still waiting for results through the manual process to come and they are making sure to see the polling station results before the final declaration.
“The history of our presidential elections in Ghana, the results have been very close and because of that closeness, we take our time to ensure that it is as transparent as the voting process.
We want to assure you that we cannot change the results, we cannot manipulate the results in anyway. The results have already been declared at by polling station basis. All we do is take those results and put them together, but in doing so, we must ensure accuracy.
Accuracy is more important than speed. The duty we owe the people of Ghana is not to declare results quickly, but accurately,” she said.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi
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