Preliminary analysis by our Election Monitoring Desk (EMD) of the overall results of the historic presidential primary of opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) held on August 7, 2010, shows that there were nearly 400 spoilt ballot papers/votes after the votes had been counted and declared at the various polling centres across the country.

Political Pundits and Election Analysts our EMD spoke to after the declaration of the results, consider this development quite serious and believe the leadership of the NPP must critically examine the reasons behind that development, especially when the majority of the party delegates who were involved in the voting exercise came from the grassroots.

“ONE WOULD EXPECT A GRASSROOTS PARTY DELEGATES, WHO WOULD BE EXPECTED TO EDUCATE AND ATTRACT THE ORDINARY PARTY SUPPORTER, SYMPATHIZER AND FLOATING VOTER, ON HOW TO VOTE IN A NATIONAL OR BYE-ELECTION, TO KNOW WHAT TO DO, NOT TO GO OUT THERE AND SPOIL A BALLOT WHILST CASTING HIS OR HER VOTE IN A PARTY’S PRESIDENTIAL/PARLIAMENTARY/ PRIMARY. THE INCIDENCE OF 400 SPOILT BALLOT PAPERS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH AND THE NPP LEADERSHIP MUST SEE THIS DEVELOPMENT AS A SERIOUS CHALLENGE WHICH REQUIRES A FOCUSED RESSOLUTION TOWARDS ACHIEVING POSITIVE RESULTS IN ELECTION 2012 AND BEYOND”, observed an Election Analyst who spoke to The New Crusading GUIDE last night.

He said whiles it is possible for a party delegate not be formally educated or literate, he or she ought be ‘educated’ and or ‘trained’, to know how to grasp the ‘fundamentals’ or ‘rudiments’ of casting a vote in elections, both within and without their political parties. HE SAID THE NPP OUGHT TO TAKE THE SITUATION INTO SERIOUS CONSIDERATION IN VIEW OF THE EXPANDED NATURE OF ITS ELECTORAL COLLEGE TO ELECT ITS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE FOR NATIONAL ELECTIONS.

He recalled that the evidence of ‘spoilt ballots’ was relatively huge in Election 2008 and that that could have had an impact on the outcome of the first round of that election.

“THAT 400 BALLOTS GOT DECLARED NULL AND VOID IN THE AUGUST 7, 2012 NPP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. THE PARTY LEADERSHIP MUST NOT ALLOW THE MANIFESTLY HUGE SUCCESS STORY OF THAT HISTORIC EVENT AND DAY BLIND THEM TO THIS SERIOUS DEFICIT. THE EARLIER A FOCUSED, SYSTEMATIC AND ELABORATE, TRAINING ANDBE- TRAINGING AND RE-TRAINING PROGRAMMME IS LAUNCED TO CURE THE DEFECT/MISCHIEF, THE BETTER FOR THE PARTY AND ITS BATTLE FOR ELECTION 2012 AND BEYOND,” emphasized the Election Analyst.