The Electoral Commission (EC) started the printing of pink sheets for the 2016 elections today [Thursday] but is yet to decide on whether to hold the emergency Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting requested by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over alleged illegalities in the process.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the NPP requested the emergency meeting of IPAC over the alleged the printing of pink sheets without serial numbers.
[contextly_sidebar id=”OHAI7cpKcVSDsXgQfXUpVDcfKgJx02oP”]The pink sheets are the materials used for the tabulation and collation of election results at both the parliamentary and presidential levels at the various polling centres and constituency collation centres respectively.
But the Commission’s Head of Communications, Eric Kofi Dzakpasu, told Citi News’ Sixtus Dong Ullo that though the printing process has started, they are yet to decide on whether to have the emergency IPAC meeting.
“The Commission is yet to decide on whether to have the emergency IPAC as requested or not so at any point in time when the commission decides to have any IPAC meeting, we will communicate same to you and to the political parties.”
“So whatever decision the commission things is appropriate and would be in the best interest of all stakeholders and the electoral process would be taken,” Mr. Dzakpasu stated.
The EC has since described as false the NPP’s claims over the printing of pink sheets without serial numbers for the 2016 elections.
Describing the allegations as regrettable, the Commission said the NPP would have been better served raising concerns with it rather than “rush to the media with unfounded claims of non-existent plans to manipulate election results.”
At the time of the allegations, the EC stated that the prinitng process had not even begun.
In the meantime, Mr. Dzakpasu indicated that the various political parties, police and national security have been duly invited to monitor the printing process.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana