Polling stations are not identified by serial numbers – Asiedu Nketia

The “village palm wine tapper” and general secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has debunked claims by the petitioner’s witness that polling stations are identified by serial numbers.

On May 13th, the importance of serial numbers as a security feature became a bone of contention between lead counsel for the third respondent, Tsatsu Tsikata, and the petitioner’s witness, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Bawumia said serial numbers are not “decorations” on the pink sheet and that the Electoral Commission (EC) paid “good money” to go through tender in order to uniquely attach a serial number to a polling station code or name.

Bawumia said: “The only number that comes embossed on the [pink sheet] is the serial number. It is the feature just as you have for cheques or passports. The serial number is a security feature and if you breach that, you compromise the elections,” he explained.

This morning however, Aseidu Nketia has responded to the claim by Dr Bawumia. He said Bawumia claim was not correct. He explained that the Electoral Commission and agents of political parties met before the 2012 general election and agreed on ways to identify polling station.

He said there were only two ways. They are the name of the polling station which was invariably related to the locality and code numbers of the polling station.

He explained that an “experienced” polling agent could identify the polling station by observing the code number.

He said Western region is identified by A, Ashanti region by “F” and Brong Ahafo region by “G”. The next number on the code indicated district, followed by the particular constituency down to the polling station.

He was given an exhibit ID1 where he said by looking at the code number which was “F”, he was sure it was from the Ashanti region.

Johnson Asiedu Nketia, who is representing both the first and third respondents is in the witness box testifying in the petition challenging the declaration of President John Dramani Mahama as the winner of the 2012 presidential election at the Supreme Court.