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The re-collation of results for two outstanding polling stations in Tema Central, conducted at the Electoral Commission’s (EC) Accra Regional Office on January 4, has confirmed Charles Forson of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the winner of the parliamentary seat.
Forson secured 18,870 votes, narrowly defeating Ebi Bright of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who polled 18,815 votes. Frederick Aniagyei came third with 209 votes. The total valid votes stood at 37,894, with 144 rejected ballots, bringing the total votes cast to 38,038.
This process followed a directive from the High Court, which ordered the EC to complete the collation of results for Tema Central, Ablekuma North, Okaikwei Central, and Techiman South by January 6, 2025. The court also instructed the Inspector General of Police to ensure armed security during the collation to maintain peace and order.
The High Court’s ruling came in response to mandamus applications filed by NPP candidates in the affected constituencies, seeking to compel the EC to fulfill its statutory duties. Justice Forson Agyapong, who presided over the case, outlined the legal basis for granting mandamus, including jurisdictional lapses, breaches of natural justice, and errors of law. He emphasized the EC’s responsibility to perform its public duties impartially and without delay.
In Tema Central, the court found that the EC had failed to include results from two polling stations, rendering the earlier declaration incomplete. Justice Agyapong noted that only a returning officer’s declaration, made after full collation, is legally binding.
Similar issues were identified in other constituencies. In Ablekuma North, results from 62 polling stations were excluded from the initial collation of 219 out of 281 stations. In Okaikwei Central, only 110 out of 141 polling stations were accounted for, while Techiman South saw results declared based on just 135 out of 282 polling stations.
Justice Agyapong ordered the EC to incorporate all outstanding polling station results into the final tallies for these constituencies. The directive aimed to ensure transparency, compliance with electoral laws, and the principles of fair representation in the electoral process.
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