General News of Tuesday, 4 March 2008

Source: Daily Guide

Baloney! Says EC To Mills

The Electoral Commissioner of the Ashanti Region, Mr. Isaac Asumani has rubbished claims by the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) presidential candidate, Prof. Evans Atta Mills over increase in the electoral figures in some constituencies. He said the call on the EC to investigate the alleged sudden increase in electoral figures in 13 constituencies in the Ashanti Region by Prof Mills was unfounded as the figures in the Region had already been shown to the NDC’s representatives who recently contacted the EC over the issue.

According to Mr. Asumani, he sees no point in Prof. Mills’ statement since some of the NDC leading members, who recently stormed his outfit in the Ashanti Region concerning the same issue, were given the necessary clarification. He stressed that due to the nature of the allegation, he spent most of his time with the NDC’s representatives, and also showed to them the electoral figures in the Ashanti Region that his office had. The NDC’s representatives who went to the EC’s office included Mr. Doe Tamakloe, Ashanti Regional Secretary; Alhaji Sanni, Ashanti Regional First Vice Chairman, and the Deputy National Organiser, Alhaji Awudu Ariff.

Speaking on a Kumasi-based radio station, Hello FM on Monday, March 3rd, to react to Prof. Mills’ call on the EC, Mr Asumani said he was surprised to see the figures quoted by Prof. Mills, explaining that none of the said figures tallied with the figures they showed to the NDC representatives. He said the electoral figures they have are 90,610 for Kwabre West and 77,521 for Ejisu Juabeng, adding that he wondered where Prof. Mills got his figures from.Mr. Asumani said they have informed the EC’s headquarters in Accra to properly address the issue for any possible correction to be made.

He gave assurance to Ghanaians that the EC as a matter of urgency would work on the issue so as to bring out the truth or otherwise in Prof Mills’ claims. It would be recalled that Prof. Mills last Saturday at a mini-rally in Cape Coast was said to have made it clear that it was necessary for the EC to mount an intensive investigation into the over bloated voters’ register in the Ashanti Region and bring to book anyone found culpable.