Don’t rush to declare election results – Mahama tells EC

Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama has cautioned the Electoral Commission (EC) against rushing to declare the 2020 general elections.

Speaking to veteran journalist, Kwesi Pratt in an interview, Mr. Mahama said the Commission must be law-abiding and follow the procedures as stated by the constitution.

“We are not declaring any result, we are not rushing to declare any results just to achieve a 24-hour limit. The law states the period for which the results are to be transmitted and that is what we might abide by.”

“What are you in a rush for? Is there something we do not know?” he quizzed.

According to the NDC flagbearer, the Commission has an ulterior motive in its 24-hour decision to declare election results after breaching several legalities.

“We have intelligence that they want to declare some results very quickly and jubilate. And if we protest, they will say go to court.

“The processes leading to the election have been flawed in so many ways. The EC has breached its legal rules so many times. They say 30,000 names have been removed from the register. Those whose names have been removed, we do not know,” he said.

Mr. Mahama reiterated that the long and tedious processes the EC will be involved in will make it impossible to attain a 24-hour target.

“They will collate at the Constituency level. The tally sheets after they have been signed will be sent to the Regional collation centre and there again, will be re-tallied before the final result is transmitted to the EC.

“So you cannot come and say you intend to declare a winner of an election in 24 hours,” he stated.

Source: Myjoyonline