Here are the 12 Parliamentary seats facing disputes

The December 7 general elections in Ghana have culminated in a decisive victory for John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who secured 56.55% of the valid votes (6,328,397), reclaiming the presidency. His opponent, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), garnered 4,657,304 votes, representing 41.6%. While Mahama’s win has been confirmed, disputes over parliamentary results in 12 constituencies continue to dominate national discourse.

Key Disputed Parliamentary Constituencies

Constituencies Declared Illegal by the Electoral Commission (EC):

1. Dome Kwabenya: The NDC’s Elikplim Akurugu made history by flipping the seat, but the NPP’s Mike Oquaye Jr. rejected the results, alleging mob interference. The EC later declared the result illegal.
2. Tema Central: Ebi Bright of the NDC was declared the winner, defeating the NPP’s Charles Forson, but the EC cited procedural issues and invalidated the declaration.
3. Okaikwei Central: Baba Sadiq of the NDC was declared winner under contentious circumstances, with the EC stating the result was announced under duress.
4. Ablekuma North: The NDC’s Ewurabena Aubynn won amidst violent confrontations, which led to questions about the process’s integrity.

Constituencies Awaiting Re-collation:

1. Nsawam/Adoagyiri: The NDC secured a court injunction to halt re-collation due to alleged irregularities.
2. Ahafo Ano South West: Results remain unresolved following violence during collation.
3. Obuasi East: Declared for NDC’s Samuel Aboagye but disputed by the NPP due to alleged irregularities.

Constituencies Contested by the NDC:

1. Suhum: Declared for NPP’s Frank Asiedu Bekoe after a recount, contested by the NDC citing discrepancies.
2. Akwatia: NPP’s Ernest Kumi was declared the winner, which the NDC claims undermined the election’s credibility.
3. Fanteakwa North: Initially declared for the NDC, the result was overturned in favor of the NPP after a recount.
4. Techiman South: Declared for the NPP amidst violence and destruction of electoral materials.
5. Ahafo Ano North: The NDC has vowed to legally challenge the declaration of the NPP’s Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh as the winner.

Broader Implications

The disputes have reignited debates about Ghana’s electoral system. Civil society organizations and observers are calling for greater transparency, accountability, and electoral reforms to safeguard the process. Both the NDC and NPP are gearing up for legal battles over the disputed seats, with the EC under scrutiny for its handling of the parliamentary elections.

The situation reflects the heightened stakes of the elections, as the final outcomes will determine parliamentary control, impacting governance in the upcoming term.