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The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Northern Region has admonished all those aspiring for political office to resort to electoral procedures enshrined in the 1992 constitution of Ghana.
The NCCE says aggrieved parties in any election in Ghana need to follow electoral rules from the electoral commission in addressing problems and if that fails, the courts are there to adjudicate. The NCCE also advised against engaging in acts that have the tendency of derailing Ghana‘s enviable peace.
The NCCE’s advice follows simmering tensions in some electoral areas where some aspirants felt they had been cheated in the just ended district and unit committee level elections.
The Northern Regional Director of the NCCE, Alhaji Abdul Razak Saani issued the warning when he addressed members from 7 communities at Nanton-Zoo in the Wamale electoral area of the Tamale south constituency yesterday.
A contender for assemblyman position for Wamale electoral area, Ziblim Abu after the polls last Tuesday petitioned the EC to re-organize the Gbabshei Methodist primary school polls.
He accused a polling station assistant, one Mr Rahman of being a member of the incumbent’s campaign team. Rahman was also accused of allegedly instructing voters to cast their ballots for the incumbent.
But the incumbent, Ibrahim Abudu denied the accusation maintaining that he won the elections fair and square and based on what he had done for the area and not in connivance with anyone. But the NCCE director insisted that due process must be followed.
Meanwhile, a contender in the just ended district level elections in the West Mamprusi district has stated that he will sue the electoral commission for declaring results of Mimima electoral area.
Mr Bingana Azizi in an interview with Zaa News said the EC's inability to address his petition over voting at Mimima electoral area was troubling. According to Azizi, figures declared by the Electoral Commission did not tally with numbers recorded by the biometric verification machine.
The EC went ahead anyway and declared his opponent winner. “In the ballot box, the ballot papers were 461 and in the verification machine the number of people who cast their votes were 458.” Mr Azizi stated.