The people of the Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas say, the Electoral Commission of Ghana under the leadership of Mrs. Jean Mensa has disenfranchised them in exercising their constitutional rights in the December 2020 general elections.
According to the people of the two Traditional Areas, the Electoral Commission who supervised the electioneering processes leading to the general elections now turns round to deny these traditional areas an opportunity to exercise their franchise as enriched in the 1992 constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
The Leaders of the Traditional Areas noted that, when they raised their concerns in a letter dated 27th November, 2020, the Electoral Commission allayed their fears and apprehensions by assuring them per their press conference that they would have an opportunity to exercise their franchise in their “Mother Constituency” in the December 2020 Polls.
They vehemently said, to the best of their understanding, Hohoe Constituency is their only “Mother Constituency” because they were by law an integral part of Hohoe Municipal and Constituency.
In a letter signed by S.K.T Owusu for and on behalf of the Chiefs and people of Lolobi and Akpafu Traditional Area revealed that, barely twelve (12) hours to the December Polls, EC issued a press statement circulating on social media, that, they have made no provision to accommodate Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas within the Hohoe Constituency.
Expressing disappointment and mistrust in the Commission, they said, the EC has rubbed their salt into injury by announcing that, the Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas cannot vote in the Parliamentary elections for reason communicated to them. “The EC by this singular action has taken out guaranteed rights away from us, thus unlawfully shutting the door on us.
Read Full Details of their letter….
We write as a follow up of our earlier letter to your office dated 27th November 2020. Your combined effort in organizing the 2020 general elections effectively resulted in disenfranchising the two Traditional Areas under the above subject matter.
Is it not strange that the people of Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas who had constantly and religiously exercised their franchise in every general election since 1992, were unable to do same in 2020 through no fault of theirs? It is important to note that Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas have always been part and parcel of the Hohoe Constituency to the best of our knowledge.
Is it not curious for the Electoral Commission, who supervised the electoral process (primaries in the Hohoe Constituency involving Akpafu and Lolobi
Traditional Areas), leading to the general elections now turns round to deny these same traditional areas an opportunity to exercise their franchise as enshrined in our constitution? When we raised our concerns in our earlier letter dated 27th November 2020, the EC allayed our fears and apprehensions by assuring us per their Press Conference that we would have an opportunity to exercise our franchise in our “Mother Constituency” this 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
To the best of our understanding, our “Mother Constituency” is no other than the Hohoe Constituency. “Mother” because we are by law an integral part of Hohoe Municipality and Constituency.
Barely twelve (12) hours to the general elections, EC came out per press release also circulated on social media, that they have made no provision to accommodate Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas within the Hohoe Constituency. – The Constituency we have always believed to be our Mother.
To rub salt into injury, the EC announced that Akpafu and Lolobi Traditional Areas cannot vote in the Parliamentary elections for no reason communicated to us. The EC by this singular action has taken our guaranteed rights away from us, thus unlawfully shutting the door on us.
Our people are asking for answers to these developments which we consider grave and most unfortunate.
- Which Constituency was your Officer referring to as the “Mother Constituency” in reference to where Lolobi and Akpafu Traditional Areas could vote in the infamous press conference held in Accra?
- Why were legitimate registered voters of Akpafu and Lolobi not allowed to vote in the parliamentary elections?
- Under which Constituency were the Presidential election votes of Lolobi and Akpafu collated?
- Which article or law in the 1992 constitution of Ghana empowers the EC or any other institutions of state to disenfranchise or prevent registered voters from participation in an election?
Even more pertinent, it appears votes duly cast and counted at the various Polling
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Stations in the Presidential Elections were taken to an unlisted Constituency Collation Centre and hence did not reflect in all published results of the 2020 elections.
Ametefe & 5 Others Dated 24 th June 2020), is the applicable law in force in the current electoral cycle.
We will therefore ask your institution to furnish us with answers to our concerns raise in our letters dated 27th November and 16th December 2020 respectively.
We will appreciate very much if you can take the necessary measures to remove doubts t at has since election 2020 lingered in our minds.
(S.K.T owusu)
For and on behalf of the Chiefs and Peoples of Lolobi & Akpafu Traditional Areas.
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