May be the writer should send this piece to all media houses to educate the uneducated.
fantastic piece
May be the writer should send this piece to all media houses to educate the uneducated.
fantastic piece
David 11 years ago
What is inspiring about this JSS level of analysing the issue at stake. Read this from him,
"The campaign, which I understand took place in at least one other region (Ashanti), has been dubbed “Let My Vote Count.” What ... read full comment
What is inspiring about this JSS level of analysing the issue at stake. Read this from him,
"The campaign, which I understand took place in at least one other region (Ashanti), has been dubbed “Let My Vote Count.” What does Let My Vote Count really mean? In principle this is a request to all and sundry, but especially the laws of the land, to ensure that all votes cast during the elections are properly counted. This means all votes cast on December 4 (Special Voting Day), December 7, and December 8 2012. The votes that can, and must, be counted are votes properly and legally cast."
He does not even understand the statement - Let My Vote Count - but wasted his time to analyse what is beyond his comprehension by simply skewing the issue to his favour. And you refer to this as inspiring. How old are you and your level of education?. Hope you are not one of those over-qualified people making noise in the country.
Yaw Frimpong 11 years ago
David, I am not surprised you don't see any good in this article. "Let My Vote Count" to every rational being simply means every valid vote (be it through the Biometric Machine or a verified Voter's ID) must be counted. Simpl ... read full comment
David, I am not surprised you don't see any good in this article. "Let My Vote Count" to every rational being simply means every valid vote (be it through the Biometric Machine or a verified Voter's ID) must be counted. Simple and period! It is rather people who fighting to discredit votes (not verified by the Machine) but whoo possess valid voter IDs who have skewed the real meaning to satisfy their parochial interests and agenda. So please don't try lecturing me.
Pumpuni 11 years ago
"I was surprised and baffled."
You rather should be surprised and baffled at the EC and NDC's high level Rigging Machinery!!!
"I was surprised and baffled."
You rather should be surprised and baffled at the EC and NDC's high level Rigging Machinery!!!
Nana Yaw III 11 years ago
Do me a favour by stating 3 credible instances of rigging in the elections.
Do me a favour by stating 3 credible instances of rigging in the elections.
Pumpuni 11 years ago
29 December 2012 Last updated at 23:07 CET
The Implications of Overvotes
By S. Kwaku Asare, Professor
Under our electoral laws, the Presiding Officers, acting as agents of the Electoral Commissioner (EC), are mandat ... read full comment
29 December 2012 Last updated at 23:07 CET
The Implications of Overvotes
By S. Kwaku Asare, Professor
Under our electoral laws, the Presiding Officers, acting as agents of the Electoral Commissioner (EC), are mandated to complete Column C of the so-called Pink Sheets (Statement of Poll and Declaration of Results for the Office of President) at the END of the poll before counting commences.
Column C of the pink sheet is titled "Ballot Accounting" and it is an important in-built control mechanism for assuring the validity and fairness of the election outcomes. To achieve its control purpose, the Presiding Officer must fill Column C before counting commences. Otherwise, electoral shenanigans can be perpetrated and covered by simply working backwards from the counted results, thereby negating the control function.
There are 6 parts to Column C (C1 to C6) and each part requires a critical pre-counting data:
In C1, the officer is to record the total number of ballots issued to voters on the polling station register. Column C1 is the key control for detecting overvotes and undervotes. Most auditors will recognize that as a “control total.” If no overvotes and undervotes are present, then all the votes counted at the polling station (valid + rejected) should equal to this Control Total.
In C4 is the total number of spoilt ballots. This is not to be confused with the total number of rejected ballots in Column D6 of the pink sheet. Rejected ballots are votes cast by actual voters that are not credited to any candidate, for a variety of reasons including, not making a mark for a candidate or marking two candidates. Rejected ballots are only identified and counted during the counting process. A spoilt ballot is one that was never cast by a voter. Spoilt ballots arise when a voter inadvertently deals with his ballot paper in such a manner that it cannot be used as ballot paper and is reissued a new ballot paper.
These are also tracked as part of the electoral controls.
Spoilt votes are not included in C1. Other parts of Column C are important but not essential to this conversation on overvotes.
When the control total (C1) is less than the counted votes, we have “overvotes.” When the control total is more than the counted votes, we have “undervotes.” Both situations are problematic and must be investigated promptly by the Presiding Officer. In any event, unless reconciliation is achieved, the EC should not include that polling outcome when collating results in the strong room. This is because overvotes and undervotes are prima facie wrong, irregular and problematic. They call for mandatory investigation. In my opinion, the EC acts recklessly, at a minimum, and puts the election outcome in serious jeopardy if he knowingly includes overvotes and undervotes in his collation.
An overvote means that the total number of ballots in the ballot box exceed the total number of ballots issued to voters. In effect, overvotes is a clear and compelling signal that ghost or phantom votes have been counted.
Consider polling station code 262203 (with the unique serial number 0017717) shown by Dr. Bawumia in his presentation. To my knowledge, the contents of that have not been challenged or are in dispute.
The number in box C1 is 277. This is the Control Total ? the number entered before any counting of votes (rejected or valid). It is the number of people who showed up to vote on voting day and were given ballot papers.
Of the 277 who showed up to vote, serial number 0017717 shows that all 277 cast a valid ballot and 14 of them also cast a rejected ballot.
That means counted ballots was 291 compared to actual ballots issued of 277.
Strange? Yes. Very strange. Impossible. Irregularity. Irrational. Overvotes. This is the exact purpose of the controls built in the pink sheets. The Presiding Officer must reconcile this result before transmitting it to the collation centers and without reconciliation they must be returned to the Presiding Officer, as not ready or valid for collation!
According to Dr. Bawumia, this phenomenon was replicated throughout the country, resulting in 620,443 ballots cast by "people who did not show up to vote."
If this is, indeed, true, and there is no reason to doubt its validity, it is a cause for serious concern, at least, for any well meaning Ghanaian or anyone who has honour and believes in fairness, justice and truth.
This electoral malaise is not something that any well-meaning Ghanaian should celebrate. This is a national electoral tragedy that, in my opinion, certainly raises serious questions about the 2012 Presidential election outcome and probably will be a matter of grave concern for the Justices of the Supreme Court, into whose laps this disturbing evidence has been entrusted.
Our Laws and Courts have taken, as they should, a very serious view of electoral irregularities. While the statutes are better defined and the case law is clearer on parliamentary elections, it stands to reason that irregularities at the Presidential level will attract a similar, if not more heightened, level of scrutiny.
Under section 20(1) of the Representation of the People Law, 1992 (PNDCL 284), the election of a candidate shall be declared void on an election petition if the High Court is satisfied:
(a) that general bribery, general treating, general intimidation or other misconduct or circumstances, whether similar to those specified in the Law or not, have so extensively prevailed that they may reasonably be supposed to have affected the result of the election;
(b) that there has been non-compliance with a provision of the Act or of the regulations and that it appears that the election was not conducted in accordance with the principles laid down by law and that the non-compliance affected the result of the election;
(c) that a corrupt or illegal practice was committed in connection with the election by the candidate or with the knowledge or consent of the candidate or by an agent; or
Overvotes of over 620,443 seems like the pervasive misconduct that this law had in mind. In my chats in the social media, a few people have noted that irregularities in elections are unavoidable and occur in every country. These comments are, of course, misplaced. What we have here is not just an irregularity but also a gargantuan potential outcome-altering irregularity. No democracy can be built or sustained on such a farce. No court will be willfully blind to such a falsehood.
Our high courts have also applied the scrutiny doctrine as another ground for the possible cancellation of election results. Here the high court directs the EC or other persons, authorized by the Court, to scrutinize the ballots. On a scrutiny order, votes that are illegally procured are rejected.
The court's standing on irregularities and application of the scrutiny doctrine is highlighted in Enos v Electoral Commission [1999-2000] 1 GLR 564 at 565 (holding that "even though the election itself had been conducted in accordance with the law, the court found that had the breaches by the returning officer of the Electoral Commission not occurred, the petitioner would have been declared the winner. The petitioner had therefore been caused incalculable harm by the breaches caused by the officer, which had substantially affected the results. Accordingly, in compliance with section 19(b) of PNDCL 284, the court declared the petitioner, and not the respondent, as duly elected. Furthermore, in compliance with section 22(1) of PNDCL 284, the court certified its decision to the Electoral Commission."
In conclusion, our laws on electoral irregularities are abundantly clear. Potential outcome-altering irregularities are not to be countenanced and are to be invalidated!
I reiterate my humble plea to everyone to calm down, resist the temptation to be emotional, treat the issues dispassionately, seek the truth, and to avoid confrontations, insults, invectives, innuendos and insinuations!
The issue before the Supreme Court is what is the true result of the 2012 Presidential elections. All of us will win by seeking and finding the truth. Falsehood will be the only casualty in this search for truth!
Gyae Wasem 11 years ago
yoo, we hear you . But we have had enough. We are fed up with this shit. After all the election is over. Let the Courts do the finding out. Do not help them and do not say anything. We did not hire you. You do not work for th ... read full comment
yoo, we hear you . But we have had enough. We are fed up with this shit. After all the election is over. Let the Courts do the finding out. Do not help them and do not say anything. We did not hire you. You do not work for the Courts, so please shut up.We are all waiting for the final say from the Courts.
Benoni 11 years ago
We want to hear your own analysis on the subject and not just reproducing Asare's discredited article.In the first place Yaw Frimpong's quality of reasoning and analysis is far more superior than yours.Now to another politici ... read full comment
We want to hear your own analysis on the subject and not just reproducing Asare's discredited article.In the first place Yaw Frimpong's quality of reasoning and analysis is far more superior than yours.Now to another politician on the wane.
Mike Oquqye is essentially a political science academic with a bl to give him job on the sides so in law he is a lightweight.No wonder that his analysis on law had always been fraught with illogicality.Mike Oquaye had embanked on a campaign of misleading the supporters of his party and assuring them of victory at the end of the day when he knew perfectly well that he is lying to them.This so called pastor's only grounds for optimism is that some voted without the biometric verification so those numbers must be added to Akuffo Addo.What an infantile trash.This pastor together with his cohorts are not only attempting to make the country ungovernable but are eager to cause mayhem as well because the good people of Ghana rejected them.I am afraid old age might have taken premature toll over his sense of judgement and therefore making a mockery of himself.
Koo Emma 11 years ago
Brilliant piece with no party colours but wearing the garment of righteousness and a carrying the scepter of peace. This case does not warrant arousal of emotions and tribal sentiments but the pursuit of truth. Ghana will eme ... read full comment
Brilliant piece with no party colours but wearing the garment of righteousness and a carrying the scepter of peace. This case does not warrant arousal of emotions and tribal sentiments but the pursuit of truth. Ghana will emerge stronger and blessed if we allow the Supreme Court to faithfully discharge its duty. If the petitioners are unable to convince the justices of the SC and indeed Ghanaians we will all know that they were only shouting wolf, wolf when indeed there wasn't even a cocroach around. On the other hand if indeed there was complicity with regards to respondents, then there is cause for soul cleansing in our land. We would have found the major problem of our underdevelopment i.e lack of intergrity at the very top. It is said that when you want to know a rotten fish you observe the head via the gills.
Nana Yaw III 11 years ago
Pumpuni, I have read the quoted article and can tell you that though Kwaku Asare’s article sought to address the issue of over-votes/under-votes, he failed to properly address the special voting factor I mentioned. His arg ... read full comment
Pumpuni, I have read the quoted article and can tell you that though Kwaku Asare’s article sought to address the issue of over-votes/under-votes, he failed to properly address the special voting factor I mentioned. His arguments on over-votes or under-votes also lack in-depth analysis, and for the avoidance of doubts I reproduce below items A and C of the EC’s “Statement of Poll and Declaration of results for the office of President.” This form is one of the exhibits that Dr. Bawumia used to cry foul against the electoral results.
A.BALLOT INFORMATION (To be filled at START of poll)
A1. What is the number of Ballots issued to this polling station?
A2. What is the range of serial numbers of the ballot papers issued to the polling station?
C. BALLOT ACCOUNTING (To be filled in at END of the poll before counting commences)
C1. What is the number of ballots issued to voters on the polling station register?
C2. What is the number of ballots issued to voters on the Proxy voters list?
C3. What is the number of ballots issued to voters verified by the use of form 1C (but not by the use of BVD)?
C4. What is the Total number of SPOILT ballots?
C5. What is the Total number of UNUSED ballots?
C6. What is the TOTAL of C1, plus C2, plus C3, plus C4 (This number should equal A1 above).
Using polling station code H262203 as supplied by Bawumia on December 28, Kwaku Asare argues that:
“The number in box C1 is 277. This is the Control Total ? the number entered before any counting of votes (rejected or valid). It is the number of people who showed up to vote on voting day and were given ballot papers. Of the 277 who showed up to vote, serial number 0017717 shows that all 277 cast a valid ballot and 14 of them also cast a rejected ballot. That means counted ballots was 291 compared to actual ballots issued of 277. Strange? Yes. Very strange. Impossible. Irregularity. Irrational. Overvotes. This is the exact purpose of the controls built in the pink sheets. The Presiding Officer must reconcile this result before transmitting it to the collation centers and without reconciliation they must be returned to the Presiding Officer, as not ready or valid for collation!”
I have a pdf file (www.newpatrioticparty.org/index.php/downloads/summary/7-general-2012/13-elections-2012-irregularities-arising-presentation-by-dr-bawumia) of Bawumia’s address and can only say that I saw 14 recorded in C4 (What is the Total number of SPOILT ballots?) and later in B (Total Rejected votes from D6 above). Because the picture containing the form of polling station H262203 is not complete, I cannot tell what was recorded in D6 of the said form. Left with the only information I have, I can say that a SPOILT BALLOT is not the same as a REJECTED BALLOT. So if the 14 in C4 is the same that is recorded as a rejected ballot, then Bawumia and Kwaku Asare’s point on irregularity is baseless.
On a more serious note, after going through the items listed from the “Statement of Poll and Declaration of results for the office of President” can you honestly tell me how the results of the voting that took place on Dec. 4 were incorporated into the mainstream data?
Regulation 21 (11) c of CI75 states, in reference to the special voting data, that the returning officer shall “arrange for the ballot boxes to be opened at the time of the counting of the votes cast on the polling day and the ballot papers shall be counted in the same manner as those contained in the ballot boxes used on the polling day.”
Now what were the instructions to the presiding officers as to how to incorporate the special voting data? Take a look at C1, and tell me what information you will state as the response to the question. The polling station register is slightly different from the special voting register of the same polling station, as regulation 21requires a special voters list to be compiled. To me, a presiding officer ought to be very smart to wade through this confusion. In any case, the normal thing for a presiding officer who is instructed to count the special voter ballots on the main Election Day is to add all the ballots (special voting and main voting) and write the result in A1. To write the said results in C1 will be erroneous, since the special voters register is different from the polling station register.
Still on C1, if you asked the officer “What is the number of ballots issued to voters on the polling station register” after a hectic day, the normal thing for him is to take the ballot book he has used, check the number of ballot papers he has issued and write it down. This will definitely not include the others issued on the special voting day.
The EC could have avoided any confusion on the treatment of special voters’ data if it had adapted the form to include special voting results, just as it found it necessary to include “C2. What is the number of ballots issued to voters on the Proxy voters list?”
This election, and the challenge put up by the NPP has brought up some true flaws in the electoral laws that ought to be addressed in an objective manner. However, to capitalise on these flaws to accuse opponents or the EC of intentionally working to make one loose the race, is not fair.
Nana Yaw III 11 years ago
I erred by not posting under your thread.
I erred by not posting under your thread.
Kofi Ata, Cambridge, UK 11 years ago
Nana Yaw, I was about to write a similar article on the LMVC campaign because in my view, the objective of the campaign is dialectically opposed to one of the reliefs Nana Akufo Addo is seeking at the Supreme Court. That is, ... read full comment
Nana Yaw, I was about to write a similar article on the LMVC campaign because in my view, the objective of the campaign is dialectically opposed to one of the reliefs Nana Akufo Addo is seeking at the Supreme Court. That is, the disenfranchisement of over 400,00 voters who did not go through the biometric verification machine. I addressed this problem in an earlier article (see "Constitutional Challenge for the NPP at the Supreme Court Part II, Ghanaweb January 9,2013).
If NPP's campaign to get every vote counted is genuine, then it is defeatist because that very campaign contradicts what the party is seeking to achieve at the Supreme Court.
In my view, the right to vote is one of the fundamental human rights under UN Convention on Civil and Political Rights which Ghana is a party to. Again, this right is guaranteed under the 1992 Ghanaian Constitution, so for the enjoyment of that right to be taken away, there must be a substantial reason for it. As I argued in my article, the fact that a registered voter was properly identified and voted but was not verified by a machine is not good enough to take away that right. Again, looking at the numbers involved, it would be disproportionate and irrational for the SC to grant that relief.
That makes me wonder if the only way Nana Akufo Addo could become President of Ghana is by disenfranchising a reasonable percentage of the the valid votes. Will Akufo Addo be happy to be President just because many voters were disenfranchised?
DKB 11 years ago
Well then with hindsight it was silly for the EC to state before the election that no verification no vote. Did they not know at the time that the machines could go wrong? The problem with us is we make rules and break them a ... read full comment
Well then with hindsight it was silly for the EC to state before the election that no verification no vote. Did they not know at the time that the machines could go wrong? The problem with us is we make rules and break them at the slightest challenge.
You may be write to say "the fact that a registered voter was properly identified and voted but was not verified by a machine is not good enough to take away that right". The EC therefore should not have made that no verification no vote statement or better still should have clarified it rather than leave it for various interpretations. That is what has opened this can of worms.
As you wonder about Nana Addo trying to disenfranchising a resonable percentage to become president, spend a moment to think about Mahama disenfranchising a majority of Ghanaians to stay in power if he truly did rig the election.
I've read some of your articles and as much as you pretend to be objective and unbaised, there are always subtle statments and remarks that you make which gives you away.
Ben 11 years ago
The EC after the elections declared Mahama as elected.In effect the majority of Ghanians voted for him.There is no question therefore of mahama disenfranchising the majority of Ghanians to stay in power because on records he ... read full comment
The EC after the elections declared Mahama as elected.In effect the majority of Ghanians voted for him.There is no question therefore of mahama disenfranchising the majority of Ghanians to stay in power because on records he won the elections and was duly declared so. Any other way of looking at it will defy reason and show how biased that person is.I am glad you made no secrete of you political affiliation which beclouded your reasoning throughout your comments.It is no surprise that you short yourself in the foot for your breathtaking biaseness.
DKB 11 years ago
Ben i careless who the EC decleared as winner. Whether it was for Nana Addo or Mahama my stance will still be the same. If Mahama colluded with the EC to rig the election, then he does not deserve to be president. If Nana Add ... read full comment
Ben i careless who the EC decleared as winner. Whether it was for Nana Addo or Mahama my stance will still be the same. If Mahama colluded with the EC to rig the election, then he does not deserve to be president. If Nana Addo does the same i will condem him. What i cannot stand is dishonesty. If Mahaha won fair and square then thumbs up to him, more grease to his elbows,but if he rigged it, then people like you are as bad as he is.
Ben 11 years ago
You seem to disagree with the institution which the constitution had lawfully mandated to organize and declare election results.You still insist you don’t know whether it was mahama or akuffo who won the elections because t ... read full comment
You seem to disagree with the institution which the constitution had lawfully mandated to organize and declare election results.You still insist you don’t know whether it was mahama or akuffo who won the elections because the declaration did not mean anything to a warped mind like you.You have thrown objectivity to the dogs and your true colours are there for all to see mr bias.
Kofi Ata, Cambridge, UK 11 years ago
DKB, I do not pretend to be perfect and I have never hidden the fact that I am sympathetic to NDC as I worked for the PNDC. However, I am able to put my sympathy behind me and be objective. The point I was making is that, it ... read full comment
DKB, I do not pretend to be perfect and I have never hidden the fact that I am sympathetic to NDC as I worked for the PNDC. However, I am able to put my sympathy behind me and be objective. The point I was making is that, it is up to the Supreme Court to deicide whether it is right and proper and within the spirit of Ghana's constitution to disenfranchise over 400,000 voters just because they were not verified by machines before casting their votes. That is not being biased.
Again, even if the requirement for machine verification was contained in the CI, it does not necessarily make it constitutional if it conflicts with a fundamental or entrenched sections of the constitution. It does not matter whether the EC made a public declaration to that effect or not. The question for the Supreme Court to answer is, was it constitutional?
On the allegation of rigging, it still remains an allegation yet to be proven. I have said in some of my articles and comments that if it is true that there was rigging in favour Mahama, then he should not be President. On the other hand, Nana Akufo Addo et al have made s definite claim that over 400,000 votes should be disregarded because the voters were not verified by machines and that is what I commented on. I have no evidence on the rigging and the article was not about rigging so there was no need for me to comment on that. It's as simple as that and not being biased against NPP or in favour of NDC.
DKB 11 years ago
Well, you nearly fooled me there. For a minute i thought you were neutral. But thanks for clearing the air.
Well, you nearly fooled me there. For a minute i thought you were neutral. But thanks for clearing the air.
BEJABADO 11 years ago
Thanks to Nana Yaw and Mr Kofi Ata. Indeed I read the article of both gentlemen and they made very convincing points. It beats my imagination that a qualified voter should be disenfranchised through no fault of theirs but bec ... read full comment
Thanks to Nana Yaw and Mr Kofi Ata. Indeed I read the article of both gentlemen and they made very convincing points. It beats my imagination that a qualified voter should be disenfranchised through no fault of theirs but because of a machine the local providers have no control neither proper knowledge of. I appreciate these two contibuters.Kudos!
concerned ghanaian 11 years ago
Your vote is no more important to Ghanaians than the votes of other people who do not believe in your twisted logic.
Your vote counted and you lost. period.
Nkrumah was right in locking up people who at that time harbou ... read full comment
Your vote is no more important to Ghanaians than the votes of other people who do not believe in your twisted logic.
Your vote counted and you lost. period.
Nkrumah was right in locking up people who at that time harboured similar sentiments like you have now.
Freedom of speech is good but it comes with atached responsibilities.
To enjoy freedom of speech, one needs to understand what his responsibilities to others are and what save gaurds the right to free speech.
Simple truth 11 years ago
It is only PRIMITIVE people who will LOCK others without PROPER TRIAL.We are of AGE already.
It is only PRIMITIVE people who will LOCK others without PROPER TRIAL.We are of AGE already.
Yaa Baby 11 years ago
Osafo, God io watching. If I were your church member, I would have left because you don't preach peace. Leave this for People like Kofi Jumah, Kennedy Agyepong and Sammy Awuku.
Osafo, God io watching. If I were your church member, I would have left because you don't preach peace. Leave this for People like Kofi Jumah, Kennedy Agyepong and Sammy Awuku.
insight to the bone 11 years ago
initially i was prone to believe ndc won fair and square based on their cpp style campaign and election engineering which made npp appear to have only 2 akan regions pitted against the rest of the country . ndc being the true ... read full comment
initially i was prone to believe ndc won fair and square based on their cpp style campaign and election engineering which made npp appear to have only 2 akan regions pitted against the rest of the country . ndc being the true all inclusive Ghanaian party has transformed in these last few weeks into a northern dominated regime supported by the ewes who have a lack of democratic spirit of choice and no where to go as they were unable to go beyond the afrc pndc buga buga govt they so love. Now the NDC is turning into an alliance against the Akans with a divide and rule propaganda machine splitting the Fanti speaking peoples vote of the western and central regions thus having a majority vote which by the way is eroding fast now that our eyes are opened to the true evil agenda of the trokosi ndc.
Nana Yaw III 11 years ago
Nobody comels you to comment on an article, but if you want to do so, please address the issues raised.
Nobody comels you to comment on an article, but if you want to do so, please address the issues raised.
insight to the bone 11 years ago
Akan is probably the oldest race on earth, they came from far far away. Their footprints can be find all over (not only in Africa)i.e. Middle East, Mesopotamia.We are Hebrew-Aramaic folk of Jewish religion and culture.The fir ... read full comment
Akan is probably the oldest race on earth, they came from far far away. Their footprints can be find all over (not only in Africa)i.e. Middle East, Mesopotamia.We are Hebrew-Aramaic folk of Jewish religion and culture.The first Akan was the son of Ezer, the son of Seir the Horite, the first foreign conqueror of Egypt. The second Akan was a descendant of Juda and the third, a descendant of Gad, all belonged to the twelve tribes of Israel. Akan folk in this sense, are made up of Isreal-Edomites, Twi (Tawi/Egyptians) and Babylonians.
Through the ages Akans established various kingdoms from the Mesopotamia to Kush, Egypt, Nubia and on to the formation of the Ghana Empire and Akan Kingdoms in West Africa today. The ancient Ghana empire (present day southeastern Mauritania and western Mali) was the final settlement of the Akan people before migrating to present day Ghana and Ivory Coast. We are the founders of the Ghana empire and not settlers. The Ghana empire was the first West-African kingdom and the richest kingdom on earth at that time.The invasion of the Amoravid brought the Islamic religion. The invasion and the forced imposition of Islam, made our ancestors resist the newcomers, since they refused to accept Islam and wanted to keep their Akan religion. After heavy warfare, they moved to present day Ghana and Ivory Coast in order to avoid constant warfare and to get the peace needed for their farming ventures.
NII LARTEY NARTEY 11 years ago
Yaw, what is this long elementary non substantive thing for? How does a party leadership sit down unconcern when feel cheated and expect rather the party individual followers to demand for their votes rightly counted without ... read full comment
Yaw, what is this long elementary non substantive thing for? How does a party leadership sit down unconcern when feel cheated and expect rather the party individual followers to demand for their votes rightly counted without getting involve?
Obviously you agree with me that such demand must come through party organization and creating awareness about the crime committed in the voting system and that is exactly what the brilliantly law abiding NPP party is doing, by organizing to inform their people the reason why the party is at the court to challenge the rigged voting result. Period! How do you expert them to address the despicable political mess? To call on their members to violently hit the streets rampaging as evidently demonstrated by the NDC hoodlums?
If you have problem with NPP and the honorably eminent Mike Oquaye, then you certainly need Kwaku Bossan to examine you head for herbal cure.
The filth and the disgustingly horrible environment at Dome-Kwabenya and the country all over is the exact result of the incompetly visionless NDC STX, "woyomenized" criminal misfits who have ruled Ghana over the past 23 years and left us as a wrecked nation.
Nana Yaw III 11 years ago
Nii Lartey Nartey, “the long elementary non substantive thing” was written among other motives, to educate the likes of you what is going on in our society. It was written to explain to you what happened in Ghana during ... read full comment
Nii Lartey Nartey, “the long elementary non substantive thing” was written among other motives, to educate the likes of you what is going on in our society. It was written to explain to you what happened in Ghana during the elections, and what is happening in Ghana today. I chose to use “elementary” tactics so that understanding will not be a problem for you, but I admit I have failed, because your response indicates that you did not understand the essence of my article.
I will end by informing you that the “past 23 years” witnessed the last days of the PNDC regime, 8 years of NDC government, 8 years of NPP government, and 4 years of NDC government. It is, therefore not only the NDC that has ruled Ghana for the past 23 years.
By the way, what is your definiotion of Madness? It is rather you, and "the honorably eminent Mike Oqauye" who need your heads to be examined, not me.
CALAMITY MILLS 11 years ago
Why can't you leave the decision to the Supreme Court,Mr.freelance high court judge?
Leave the dicision to the Supreme Court and stop the bleating.
Why can't you leave the decision to the Supreme Court,Mr.freelance high court judge?
Leave the dicision to the Supreme Court and stop the bleating.
Atuahene-Otchere 11 years ago
Why do we report to the police when somebody steal our property of money? If we don't stop this kind of election malpractices it will destroyed our democracy. Thank God nobody went to hide in the bush to fight the election ... read full comment
Why do we report to the police when somebody steal our property of money? If we don't stop this kind of election malpractices it will destroyed our democracy. Thank God nobody went to hide in the bush to fight the election results but in court to fight the results. Little mind like Nana Yaw should not waste our ears with such an immature article.
Nana Yaw III 11 years ago
Which election malpractice are you stopping?
Has anyone asked you to hide in the bush? Can you objectively narrate what happened in Ghana before, during and after the elections? Do you have the guts to do that?
I canno ... read full comment
Which election malpractice are you stopping?
Has anyone asked you to hide in the bush? Can you objectively narrate what happened in Ghana before, during and after the elections? Do you have the guts to do that?
I cannot waste your ears because I have talked to you.
Paul Amuna 11 years ago
Nana Yaw, you are thoughtful, fair, balanced and objective. Surely "let my vote count" should apply to all those who genuinely voted? I am also baffled and saddened by the actions and utterances of Prof. Mike Oquaye, an elder ... read full comment
Nana Yaw, you are thoughtful, fair, balanced and objective. Surely "let my vote count" should apply to all those who genuinely voted? I am also baffled and saddened by the actions and utterances of Prof. Mike Oquaye, an elder statesman. It is disgraceful of him to be 'inciting' the youth in this way.
KOOBI NAABATAAYIRE- WA 11 years ago
MIKE QUAYE IS STUPID LIKE THE SON WHO CLAIMED TO BE A LAWYER BUT TALK LIKE A BIG FOOL.
MIKE QUAYE IS STUPID LIKE THE SON WHO CLAIMED TO BE A LAWYER BUT TALK LIKE A BIG FOOL.
A very brilliant and inspiring piece. Kudos.
May be the writer should send this piece to all media houses to educate the uneducated.
fantastic piece
What is inspiring about this JSS level of analysing the issue at stake. Read this from him,
"The campaign, which I understand took place in at least one other region (Ashanti), has been dubbed “Let My Vote Count.” What ...
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David, I am not surprised you don't see any good in this article. "Let My Vote Count" to every rational being simply means every valid vote (be it through the Biometric Machine or a verified Voter's ID) must be counted. Simpl ...
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"I was surprised and baffled."
You rather should be surprised and baffled at the EC and NDC's high level Rigging Machinery!!!
Do me a favour by stating 3 credible instances of rigging in the elections.
29 December 2012 Last updated at 23:07 CET
The Implications of Overvotes
By S. Kwaku Asare, Professor
Under our electoral laws, the Presiding Officers, acting as agents of the Electoral Commissioner (EC), are mandat ...
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yoo, we hear you . But we have had enough. We are fed up with this shit. After all the election is over. Let the Courts do the finding out. Do not help them and do not say anything. We did not hire you. You do not work for th ...
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We want to hear your own analysis on the subject and not just reproducing Asare's discredited article.In the first place Yaw Frimpong's quality of reasoning and analysis is far more superior than yours.Now to another politici ...
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Brilliant piece with no party colours but wearing the garment of righteousness and a carrying the scepter of peace. This case does not warrant arousal of emotions and tribal sentiments but the pursuit of truth. Ghana will eme ...
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Pumpuni, I have read the quoted article and can tell you that though Kwaku Asare’s article sought to address the issue of over-votes/under-votes, he failed to properly address the special voting factor I mentioned. His arg ...
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I erred by not posting under your thread.
Nana Yaw, I was about to write a similar article on the LMVC campaign because in my view, the objective of the campaign is dialectically opposed to one of the reliefs Nana Akufo Addo is seeking at the Supreme Court. That is, ...
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Well then with hindsight it was silly for the EC to state before the election that no verification no vote. Did they not know at the time that the machines could go wrong? The problem with us is we make rules and break them a ...
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The EC after the elections declared Mahama as elected.In effect the majority of Ghanians voted for him.There is no question therefore of mahama disenfranchising the majority of Ghanians to stay in power because on records he ...
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Ben i careless who the EC decleared as winner. Whether it was for Nana Addo or Mahama my stance will still be the same. If Mahama colluded with the EC to rig the election, then he does not deserve to be president. If Nana Add ...
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You seem to disagree with the institution which the constitution had lawfully mandated to organize and declare election results.You still insist you don’t know whether it was mahama or akuffo who won the elections because t ...
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DKB, I do not pretend to be perfect and I have never hidden the fact that I am sympathetic to NDC as I worked for the PNDC. However, I am able to put my sympathy behind me and be objective. The point I was making is that, it ...
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Well, you nearly fooled me there. For a minute i thought you were neutral. But thanks for clearing the air.
Thanks to Nana Yaw and Mr Kofi Ata. Indeed I read the article of both gentlemen and they made very convincing points. It beats my imagination that a qualified voter should be disenfranchised through no fault of theirs but bec ...
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Your vote is no more important to Ghanaians than the votes of other people who do not believe in your twisted logic.
Your vote counted and you lost. period.
Nkrumah was right in locking up people who at that time harbou ...
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It is only PRIMITIVE people who will LOCK others without PROPER TRIAL.We are of AGE already.
Osafo, God io watching. If I were your church member, I would have left because you don't preach peace. Leave this for People like Kofi Jumah, Kennedy Agyepong and Sammy Awuku.
initially i was prone to believe ndc won fair and square based on their cpp style campaign and election engineering which made npp appear to have only 2 akan regions pitted against the rest of the country . ndc being the true ...
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Nobody comels you to comment on an article, but if you want to do so, please address the issues raised.
Akan is probably the oldest race on earth, they came from far far away. Their footprints can be find all over (not only in Africa)i.e. Middle East, Mesopotamia.We are Hebrew-Aramaic folk of Jewish religion and culture.The fir ...
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Yaw, what is this long elementary non substantive thing for? How does a party leadership sit down unconcern when feel cheated and expect rather the party individual followers to demand for their votes rightly counted without ...
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Nii Lartey Nartey, “the long elementary non substantive thing” was written among other motives, to educate the likes of you what is going on in our society. It was written to explain to you what happened in Ghana during ...
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Why can't you leave the decision to the Supreme Court,Mr.freelance high court judge?
Leave the dicision to the Supreme Court and stop the bleating.
Why do we report to the police when somebody steal our property of money? If we don't stop this kind of election malpractices it will destroyed our democracy. Thank God nobody went to hide in the bush to fight the election ...
read full comment
Which election malpractice are you stopping?
Has anyone asked you to hide in the bush? Can you objectively narrate what happened in Ghana before, during and after the elections? Do you have the guts to do that?
I canno ...
read full comment
Nana Yaw, you are thoughtful, fair, balanced and objective. Surely "let my vote count" should apply to all those who genuinely voted? I am also baffled and saddened by the actions and utterances of Prof. Mike Oquaye, an elder ...
read full comment
MIKE QUAYE IS STUPID LIKE THE SON WHO CLAIMED TO BE A LAWYER BUT TALK LIKE A BIG FOOL.