We’ve 72 hours to declare results, be patient - EC appeals to public

The Electoral Commission (EC) has urged the general public to be patient as it is working within the timeframe required by law for the declaration of the presidential results.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, the Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa, said the electoral management body had 72 hours after the close of polls to declare the results as stipulated by C.I 127.

The press conference followed numerous complaints and concerns by some members of the public and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over what they described as the feet dragging by the commission in declaring the presidential results.

Mrs Mensa, however, allayed such fears and concerns, explaining that the commission was meticulously conducting the process in line with the law and to ensure that the true will of Ghanaians, as reflected at the polling station prevailed.

So far, she said the EC had only received the collated results from the Ahafo Region, with the collated results from 15 regions still outstanding.

Elaborate process

Mrs Mensa explained that, unlike the political parties that instantly get access to the pink sheet (declaration) immediately after results are announced at the polling station, the commission, by law, must follow an elaborate process before declaring the presidential results.

Giving details, she said after the results were declared at the polling stations, they must be transferred to the collation centres at the constituencies to be collated, and approved by party agents.

The same process, she said, was repeated at the regional collation centres before the results were transferred to the national collation centre by Fax, which again must be approved by the party agents before she could, as the returning officer for the presidential election, also sign after verification by the EC.

“Citizens should exercise patience. It’s just been 23 hours. The process is elaborate. It is inclusive, it involves the political parties and observers at every step to ensure that what comes up at the end of the day is accepted by all candidates and citizens as well,” she said.