The Electoral Commission has disassociated itself from the premature declaration of results in the Yendi constituency following the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries over the weekend.
This was contained in a press statement released yesterday by Mr Michael Boadu, acting Head of Public Affairs for the Electoral Commission.
In a video circulating on social media, a gentleman is seen declaring results in favour of the incumbent MP, Farouk Aliu Mahama.
However, the EC clarified that it had not officially declared results for the Yendi constituency in the recently concluded NPP parliamentary elections.
The EC further reported that a total of 785 voters cast their votes out of 794 registered voters on January 29, 2024.
However, it indicated that during the counting of ballots for the incumbent, Farouk Aliu Mahama, the process was disrupted after the Presiding Officer had counted 296 votes in his favour.
The EC said the destruction of 489 remaining ballots prevented the completion of the collation, leading to an incomplete declaration of results.
The EC emphasised that the official results for the constituency had not been announced.
Petition
Meanwhile, Hajia Abibata Shanni Mahama, a contestant in the Yendi constituency primaries, has petitioned the secretary of the NPP in the area, Sir Shanni Mahama Zakariah, against the conduct of the primaries.
In her petition, Hajia Abibata Shanni Mahama raised several issues concerning the chaotic conduct of the primaries held at the Yendi Senior High School.
She pointed out that the primaries protocols for incumbent Members of Parliament of the NPP, issued by the party on January 22, 2024, mandated the EC to supervise the primaries. Allegedly, she said, this protocol was violated during the primaries.
She also added that protocols prohibited party officials, government appointees,and other individuals from acting against the directives of the EC and the established guidelines. She insisted that there was a breach of this prohibition in the Yendi primaries.
Hajia Abibata Shanni Mahama further claimed an orchestrated attempt by some party officers and the incumbent MP to manipulate the elections in favour of the incumbent, contravening democratic principles and the desires of the delegates and party members in Yendi.
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