Ayawaso West Wuogon Parliamentary by-election was peaceful – EC

By Iddi Yire, GNA

Accra, Feb. 1, GNA – The conduct of polls in all the 137 polling stations in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Parliamentary by-election was peaceful, smooth and orderly, Mrs Jean Mensa, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), said in Accra on Friday.

She lauded the Commission’s staff, as well as the security agencies at the various polling stations for conducting themselves in an orderly and professional manner.

“We wish to congratulate our election officials, the staff of the Ayawaso District Office and last but not least the staff of our Greater Accra Regional Directorate,” Mrs Mensa said during a press briefing on the parliamentary by-election in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.

She said all their Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs) deplored to the field worked efficiently; adding that their materials were not in short supply.

“All in all, the Commission is pleased with the outcome of the election conducted at the polling stations,” she said.

Mrs Mensa rejected any attempt to link the Commission to the shooting incident that took place at the private residence of the Parliamentary Candidate of the National Democratic Congress at La-Bawaleshie during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

“The Commission wishes to state that the said shooting incident did not take place at any of the polling stations in the Constituency and therefore, did not in any way disrupt the conduct of the poll.

“In this respect, the Commission strongly disassociates itself from the alleged act of violence that occurred at La-Bawaleshie,” she said.

“The Commission condemns in no uncertain terms, the attempt by sections of the society to link it with the alleged act of violence. As a Commission our focus and mandate is to conduct credible, transparent and fair elections that uphold the will of the people as witnessed in all the 137 polling stations in the Constituency,” Mrs Mensa said.

She said the Commission abhors any form of violence in elections and condemns the act of violence that took place at the private residence of the NDC Parliamentary Candidate.

“As a Commission, we see elections as a simple process of affording voters the free will of selecting their leaders in an atmosphere of peace,” she said.

“We, therefore, encourage the good people of Ghana to partner and work with the Commission to strengthen our electoral processes and to uphold our democracy,” she said.

GNA

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