Aspirant in double registration

Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan is the Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Ghana

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday February 15, 2011.
The Electoral Commission (EC) appears to be turning a blind eye on a petition to investigate alleged double registration of an aspiring assembly member at Agavenya Electoral Area in the Yilo Krobo Constituency in the Eastern Region.

The suspect, who used the names of Stanley Tetteh and Stanley Tetteh Doku respectively in the registration, is walking free without the EC or any of the security agencies questioning him and he intends to contest a re-run of the District Assembly polls scheduled for today.

In his petition of February 10, 2011, a copy of which was sent to the EC and the police, Michael Jackson Bruku who was also a candidate in the recent District Assembly polls complained about the attitude of the police and the EC in looking into the matter which could have led to the disqualification of Stanley.

He said at Minee Prep. School Polling Station in Somanya his opponent (Stanley) registered with the name Stanley Tetteh Doku aged 28 with Voter ID 24215807 while at the Apostolic Primary School Polling Station also in Somanya he registered with the name Stanley Tetteh, aged 24 with Voter ID 12263597.

Mr. Bruku said the election is being re-run because in the first contest on December 31, 2010 there was a tie as both candidates polled 149 each.

“In spite of reports sent to draw the EC’s attention to my opponent’s activities, the commission has failed to act. The police who were also petitioned have turned a blind eye to the issue. None of them even acknowledged receipt of my petition”.

He said “I have followed up to the EC’s regional office in Koforidua on the matter but nobody gave me any concrete information. They only called to tell me to prepare for a re-run.”

When contacted via telephone, Eric Mensah-Bonsu, Deputy Regional Director of EC confirmed the said petition against Stanley but said Mr. Bruku was advised to seek redress in the law courts.

“We cannot annul election disputes unless the courts order us to do so,” adding “even if his opponent wins the election; he has the right to overturn the results in the law courts.”

He said it was up to the police to investigate the matter and all the EC needs to do is to assist the police to get to the bottom of the matter.

He said under the Election Petitions and other Legal Proceedings Regulations nothing stops a candidate or an electorate seeking redress from the courts and the EC is enjoined to support the courts to come out with the truth.