The Electoral Commission (EC), has said it may consider a total recount of Presidential ballots in the 2016 December elections, if it realizes upon collation that the vote margin is too close to declare a clear winner.
Chairperson of the Commission, Charlotte Osei, said this in an interview with the BBC’s Akwasi Sarpong on Thursday.
According to Charlotte Osei, it may be prudent to recount the ballots than to go ahead to declare a winner under such circumstances.
[contextly_sidebar id=”x24T6nj3fBaSpDuAnakiVj6Hx9duyZd9″]“We are hoping within 48 hours; maximum 72 hours; we should have the results. The only reason I can see us going beyond is that, our elections in Ghana tend to be very close. If it’s so close, it may be more prudent to stop, inform every one, do a total recount, and be sure of what we are announcing…just to be sure, but I do not think, well, at this point it is too early to tell,” she added.
Election will definitely happen on December 7
Charlotte Osei in the interview also assured that the current legal tussle between the commission and some aggrieved political parties over the disqualification of their presidential aspirants, will not affect the 7th December date for the elections.
“…From the point of view of the commission; the election would definitely happen on December 7,” Chairperson of the Commission, Charlotte Osei said.
Critics are skeptical about the possibility of the election date, following the numerous lawsuits the commission has had to respond to in court, for disqualifying some 12 presidential aspirants from the race.
But speaking to the BBC in a Facebook video, Charlotte Osei said the courts are aware of the limited time left ahead of the polls, and thus would expedite ruling on the cases before them.
“The Supreme Court is very aware of the timelines. We’ve also told the courts how much time we need with the printers to print the presidential ballots. We’ve done all that; and it’s in our pleadings and they are aware of that.”
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin