“We will not accept this” — NPP rejects EC’s rerun decision as NDC vows to “restore the people’s voice” in Ablekuma North

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has rejected the Electoral Commission‘s (EC) decision to rerun parliamentary elections in 19 polling stations in the Ablekuma North Constituency, labelling the move as unjustified and lacking the consensus of the two main political parties.

The EC announced the rerun following disputes over the authenticity of scanned Pink Sheets used in collating results during the December 7, 2024, general election. The Commission explained that although agents from both parties had approved the scanned results, 19 of them were not verified by Presiding Officers, a breach it deemed serious enough to warrant fresh polls.

Speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News, Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, Haruna Mohammed, disputed the EC’s claims. “Our representatives were at the meeting, and I have to put it on record that there was no such agreement with the EC,” he said. “We don’t know what the EC is up to. The NPP is not going to give up on this particular fight.”

Mr Mohammed insisted that only results from three polling stations remained outstanding and were sufficient to complete the collation and declare a winner. He accused the EC of shifting its position under pressure from the opposition and called on the Commission to conclude the process with the existing results.

Echoing these sentiments, the NPP’s 2024 parliamentary candidate for Ablekuma North, Akua Afriyie, described the EC’s decision as a betrayal of earlier assurances. “We have gone through all the collation, and we are at three polling stations for us to complete the collation and declaration, and so what changed?” she asked in an interview with Channel One Newsroom. “We are not agreeing to this.”

Mrs Afriyie accused the EC of caving to demands from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), alleging an attempt to manipulate the process in the NDC’s favour. She also reminded the public that the EC had previously testified in Parliament, under oath, that only three polling stations were left to be accounted for.

The NPP is expected to hold a press conference on Thursday morning to outline its next steps, with General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong scheduled to address the nation.

Meanwhile, the NDC has welcomed the EC’s decision and declared its readiness to return to the polls. Deputy General Secretary Mustapha Gbande said the rerun presents a fresh opportunity for the people of Ablekuma North to assert their will. He expressed full confidence in the party’s candidate, Ewurabena Aubynn, and accused the NPP of attempting to “illegally impose” a candidate on the constituency.

Gbande also claimed the EC was previously used by the NPP to “steal” the Ablekuma North seat. “Every step advanced by the NPP after December 7, including the walkout by the Minority in Parliament, shows an intention to subvert the will of the people,” he argued. “We’re simply going back to do what the law requires us to do.”

Using the metaphor of a cancelled exam, Gbande said, “If you’re a competent student and the examiner cancels your results, you shouldn’t be afraid to go back and rewrite. The NDC will go back to the people of Ablekuma North and seek their mandate again.”

The Electoral Commission has scheduled the rerun for Friday, July 11, 2025. It says security will be provided by the Ghana Police Service to ensure a peaceful and transparent process.