Manasseh Ofosuhene Asante, the Tema Metropolitan Electoral Officer of the Electoral Commission (EC), has revealed the threats and intimidation he faced from key National Democratic Congress (NDC) officials during the collation of parliamentary results for the Tema Central constituency.

In his detailed report to the Electoral Commission (EC), Manasseh recounted how Rockson Dafeamekpor, MP for South Dayi, Malik Basintale, Deputy Communications Officer of the NDC, and Hannah Bissiw the National Women’s Organiser led a campaign of coercion and violence that forced the declaration of results under duress.

Manasseh explained that the conflict began when NDC agents flagged results from 12 polling stations, with three remaining unresolved.

“I write to officially report on the incidence of violent attacks on Electoral Commission staff leading to the truncation of parliamentary collation at Tema Central constituency and the eventual forced declaration of the uncompleted results.

“In the process of collating the 148 polling station results, the NDC agents flagged about 12 polling station results. These were set aside for collation to continue. The flagged results were then revisited and resolved remaining only the last three.

“The three-polling station results in contention were P.S Code C231707, C231309B and C231808. The NDC agents and their party leadership and supporters insisted that we should set aside the results of the three polling stations because they were not signed by the Presiding officers and declare their candidate Ebi Bright as the winner. We, however disagreed with them and insisted that once the individual results were the same, we will add them and declare the results.

“We added C231808 and it was left with 2 polling stations. At this point, they started threatening me and my staff that we should not add it. In fact Rockson Dafeamakpor kept threatening me throughout the collation anytime he quoted the law and I disagreed with him. I kept insisting that if they had any issue then they should seek redress from the appropriate quarters after declaration,” part of the letter said.

According to him, Basintale, reportedly incited supporters who had gathered at the collation center.

“Then Basintale came up to me, heckled me, and held my hand that I should declare their candidate the winner by force. I managed to release myself out of his hands as some of his supporters were about to pounce on me. The Police then quickly whisked me into one of their offices. Some of my officers and our materials were also secured into the office.

“The NDC supporters who had massed up at the regional police command then started attacking the police to force themselves into the room where I was kept to deal with me. The Police decided to dress me up in police attire to disguise myself and escape through a window at the back but their supporters were gathered at the back too so they had to bring me back into the inner room where I was being kept.”

He continued,” Present among the NDC leadership inside the room were Hannah Bissiw, Rockson Dafeamekpor, and Basintale. When I told them that the Chairperson has asked that we should truncate the process and refer it to head office for resolution, they said if Jane Mensah is supporting me not to declare, then they are going out to tell their supporters and we will see what happens.

“After they went out to their supporters outside, the agitations and tension escalated to the extent that they attacked the police at the entrance of the room and destroyed the glass door. Some also threw objects towards the room leading to the breaking down of some glass windows. All these attempts and attacked were aimed at me because I had failed to grant them their illegal wish. They were chanting and threatening outside that they were not going to leave unless I came out to declare their candidate as winner.”

Fearing a complete breakdown of order and threats to life, a police commander advised Manasseh to declare the results to de-escalate the situation.

“As the situation degenerated things were getting out of control. It was at this juncture when one of the Police Commanders called Chief Supt. Osman of Ashaiman Divisional Police, entered the room and advised that the situation was getting out of hands and that the NDC has called more of their supporters to come and attack us. And that if I don't declare now, their irate supporters and thugs may overpower the police.”

Manasseh described the declaration as illegal, emphasizing that it was made without the authorization of the Returning Officer, Kwasi Brobbey.

“It is however my humble opinion that the declaration was illegal because it was not done by the Returning Officer for Tema Central (Kwasi Brobbey) who is the one issued with the Writ of Election and therefore authorised to declare the parliamentary results for Tema Central.

“The Writ of Election as well as the Form One C and One D have all not been filled and signed by the Returning Officer. It was also declared under duress, coercion and threats of death. I therefore pray the Commission to nullify the results declaration.”







AM/Ek

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