The Electoral Commission has confirmed that the vice presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, verified his name during the just-ended voters’ register exhibition exercise, outside a designated exhibition centre.
The Commission however did not say Dr. Bawumia was verified at his home as alleged.
The Commission did not also confirm the claim that its two officers were offered a bribe to carry out the illegality.
The Commission in a statement said a three member committee set up to investigate the issue found out 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. That Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was facilitated by both officers to check his name in the voters’ register and got verified outside the exhibition centre.”
The Commission also condemned the conduct of the officers saying it “was a violation of the guidelines issued for the exercise.”
Background:
[contextly_sidebar id=”NbOGJGJMF32KAeYywzsjDNWKlnV03YtC”]Dr. Bawumia has been accused especially by the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), of verifying his name in the voters’ register at his residence in Walewale in the Upper West Region during the exhibition exercise in July.
They further alleged that, the electoral officers were given GHc10,000 by Dr. Bawumia; a claim the NPP has vehemently rejected describing it as a desperate attempt by the NDC to tarnish the image of their running mate.
The NDC further lodged an official complaint with the Walewale District Police calling for investigations into the matter.
The Electoral Commission in the statement said “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 Acting District Electoral Officer as soon as the issue was brought to the attention of the Commission.”
Speaking to Citi News, the Northern regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, said they CID has taken over investigations into the matter.
The exhibition of the voters’ register took place from July 18 – August 7, 2016.
Below is the EC’s full statement
VERIFICATION OF DR. M. BAWUMIA OUTSIDE DESIGNATED EXHIBITION CENTRE
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 24th July, 2016.
A 3-member committee was set up by the Nothern 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.
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.
Electoral Commission P. O. Box M.214 Accra.
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.
Signed:
AMADU SULLEY
Deputy Chairperson (Operations)
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin