EC ready for Ejisu by-election tomorrow

The Electoral Commission (EC) has expressed its readiness to conduct the Ejisu Constituency by-election tomorrow.

The Director of Electoral Services at the EC headquarters in Accra, Dr Serebour Quaicoe, told the Daily Graphic that all electoral materials and equipment for the by-election were set in Ejisu.

“The Notice of Poll, ballot papers and all relevant logistics have been delivered to Ejisu so we are set,” he said. Dr Quaicoe said the materials would be deployed to the polling stations at dawn tomorrow, adding that accreditation for the various agents of the candidates and those who want to monitor the election started yesterday and would continue today.

Voters

The Director of Electoral Services at the EC said a total of 106,812 registered voters were expected to cast their ballots in 204 polling stations across the constituency.

Ahead of the by-election tomorrow, Dr Quaicoe said security had been heightened, saying “we’re treating all the 204 polling stations as potential hotspots because you may never know where an incident will occur.”

“As for the police we are always in touch with them. We have sent them the list of all 209 polling stations and their locations,” he stated.
Dr Quaicoe said the training for all categories of electoral officials was completed last Friday, adding that everything was in order and that the EC was poised to conduct a free and fair election, in ensuring that the wish of the people was realised,” he said.

Injunction

The Director of Electoral Services at the EC said the Convention People’s Party (CPP) had decided not to pursue an interlocutory injunction it filed at the Kumasi High Court against the EC for accepting the nominations of the party’s candidate, Esther Osei.

The Ashanti Region Chairman of the CPP, Emmanuel Gallo, filed the injunction at the Kumasi High Court with hearing fixed for today. “But the CPP says they are not pursuing the injunction so everything is smooth sailing,” Dr Quaicoe said.

Candidates

Meanwhile the Notice of Poll published by the EC ahead of the poll indicated that there were six candidates who were contesting the by-election.They are three Independent candidates and three political parties.

The independent candidates are a former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for the area and former Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, Gabriel Agyemang Joseph and Attakorah Joseph.

The candidates for the political parties are Esther Osei of the CPP; Kwabena Boateng of the NPP and Beatrice Boakye of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG). Esther Osei (CPP), occupies the number one position of the ballot paper, Kwabena Boateng (NPP), number two; Beatrice Boakye (LPG), three; Kwabena Owusu Aduomi (Independent), four; Gabriel Agyemang Joseph (Independent), five, and Attakorah Joseph (Independent), number six.

Background

The Ejisu seat became vacant following the death on March 7, this year, of the sitting NPP MP for the constituency, John Ampontuah Kumah, who was also a Deputy Minister of Finance.