At the Ablekuma North constituency, where a parliamentary rerun is underway across 19 polling stations, former Deputy Health Minister Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye has questioned the Electoral Commission’s (EC) reversal of its earlier stance that a rerun was unnecessary.
“The EC itself said there was no need for a rerun, and we agreed. Today, they’ve changed their position,” he stated.
He used a metaphor to illustrate his point: “If your brother promised never to smoke but you find him smoking, don’t rush to call him a hypocrite. Ask if a gun was put to his head.”
Dr. Okoe-Boye claimed the EC is facing undue pressure but lamented that public criticism has largely focused on the Commission’s perceived inconsistency rather than the reasons behind its actions.
“This EC is under serious coercion, and because the NPP isn’t in the public’s good books, everyone is quiet,” he argued.
He also alleged political interference, questioning how party leaders could make pronouncements about the fate of institutional heads.
“How can you have a party chairman deciding which heads of institutions must be sacked, saying, ‘The EC head must go’? Enormous pressure has been placed on the EC,” he added.
Turning his attention to Nana Akua Afriyie, the NPP candidate participating in the rerun, Dr. Okoe-Boye expressed empathy, describing her as being in a “difficult emotional state.”
“I know her well. As a physician, I can tell she’s going through a lot mentally. She deserves support,” he said.
The rerun follows months of dispute over the December 2024 parliamentary results, which left Ablekuma North without a Member of Parliament. Both the NPP and NDC claim to have won the seat, making today’s vote crucial for restoring representation in the constituency.
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