However, before any official announcement, both candidates have put up billboards thanking voters for electing them.

Some residents have expressed concern about the situation, calling for patience to maintain peace.

“The NDC is claiming victory, and the NPP is also claiming victory, yet the final result has not been declared. We, the youth, want peace, so we appeal to them to exercise restraint. They are all saying ‘Thank You’ to voters when there is no declaration. We want them to wait for the EC to announce the results so that there will be peace,” one resident said.

Others believe the delay is not only causing political tension but also affecting development in the constituency.

“The EC must work on this and declare the winner so voters know who their leader is. When it comes to development, the elected MP lobbies the government for projects.

Right now, Ablekuma North does not know who to turn to, and that is not good for us,” another resident stated.

Meanwhile, the EC has not provided a timeline for resuming the collation process. Officials say they are waiting for security clearance from the Ghana Police Service before proceeding, but it remains unclear when that will happen.

The Ablekuma North Constituency is the only outstanding constituency from the December 7 election without a winner due to recurring disagreements.

Despite a re-collation exercise by the EC to determine the winner of the seat, the decision remains in limbo.

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The former President said this in an exclusive interview with BBC.

With just two days to the election, Mr Mahama’s comment comes amid concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.

He expressed doubts about the fairness of the elections, stressing that he would reject any outcome tainted by violence or irregularities.

Emphasising the need for Ghana’s democracy to thrive, Mr Mahama stated protecting the integrity of the election is fundamental.

He cited potential issues such as ballot snatching, voter intimidation, and the use of security forces to disrupt the process as threats to a credible election.

“If on election day, there is widespread ballot snatching, beating of people, the military moving in and intimidating people, and thugs rampaging, you want me to accept that result? It will depend on the transparency and fairness of the process,” he said.

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Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, Dr Quaicoe emphasised that the results could be announced earlier however, it would not exceed the third day after the election has been held.

He acknowledged that the timeline is contingent upon collaboration and support from all stakeholders involved in the electoral process.

“As it stands now we are of the view that within 72 hours, the results should be out. And the keyword is within, so it could be declared 24 hours, 48 hours, or 72 hours. But it all depends on collaboration or support,” he said on Tuesday.

Reflecting on the 2020 elections, Dr Quaicoe noted that the EC’s commitment to declaring results within 24 hours led to unnecessary requests for recounts and re-collation.

He suggested that some parties may not have wanted the Commission to meet its ambitious timelines, leading to delays and additional processes.

Dr Quaicoe stressed the importance of cooperation among all stakeholders to ensure a smooth and timely declaration of results in the upcoming elections.

He urged all stakeholders to work together to avoid unnecessary delays and disruptions in the electoral process.

The announcement comes as the Electoral Commission gears up for the 2024 elections, with increased emphasis on efficiency and transparency.

The Commission aims to enhance public trust in the electoral process by setting clear expectations regarding the timeline for result declaration.

He further noted that as part of preparation for the upcoming 2024 elections, there has been extensive collaboration between the EC and the police to ensure the smooth conduct of the electoral process.

Dr Quaicoe explained that, by law, the police service is mandated to handle all security activities during elections. However, due to the limited number of police personnel, they often collaborate with other security forces to bolster their efforts.

“We do a lot of engagement with the police, so whenever there is going to be an election, we roll out the election security task force and we hold a lot of meetings to brief them on what EC wants to do.”

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