Bawumia 'verified outside exhibition centre' - EC

The Electoral Commission (EC) has confirmed the vice presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was "verified outside an exhibition centre."

The electoral management body arrived at that conclusion when it released its investigative report regarding the sacking of two of its officials in July for verifying Dr. Bawumia at his Walewale residence during the just ended verification exercise.

A three-member committee was set up by the Northern Regional Directorate of the Commission to investigate the incident involving Ambrose Yobe an exhibition officer and Mumuni Latifa a verification officer, who allegedly verified Dr. Bawumia outside the exhibition centre.

According to a statement issued by the EC under the signatory of the Commission’s Deputy Chairperson in charge of operations, Amadu Sulley, headlined: “Verification of Dr. M. Bawumia outside Designated Exhibition Centre” the investigative committee concluded the conduct of the two breaches the electoral rules.

The Commission therefore “wishes to advice political leaders to familiarize themselves with the electoral laws and regulations to enable them to insist on the right things being done at all times”.

It further urged members of the public to continue to support the electoral process by promptly bringing any irregularities to its attention for speedy resolution.

Below is the EC’s full statement

VERIFICATION OF DR. M. BAWUMIA OUTSIDE DESIGNATED EXHIBITION CENTRE

The Electoral Commission’s attention was drawn to an incident of involving the verification of a voter outside the designated Exhibition Centre number H230401 at the Kperiga Presby JHS ‘A’ in Walewale in the West Mamprusi District on 24th July, 2016.

A 3-member committee was set up by the Nothern Regional Directorate of the Commission to investigate the incident and provide appropriate recommendations. The Committee has completed its work and found as follows:

1. That on the said date, Mr. Ambrose Yobe (Exhibition Officer) and Ms. Mumuni Latifa (Verification Officer) closed and vacated their exhibition centre before the stipulated closing time of 6pm.

2. That Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was facilitated by both officers to check his name in the voters’ register and got verified outside the exhibition centre.

The Committee was of the considered opinion that the conduct of the Officers was a violation of the guidelines issued for the exercise and contrary to the Commission’s policies.

According to the rules and the guidelines:

1. Only the Commission has the mandate to designate specific areas as Exhibition Centres.
Electoral Commission P. O. Box M.214 Accra.

2. Exhibition Officials have no authority to set-up or relocate Exhibition Centres to a place different from the one designated by the Commission without the prior express authorization of the EC.

3. Exhibition Officials are not permitted under any circumstances to vacate their duty posts or close their centres before the specified closing hours without prior authorization from the Commission.

The Committee concluded that allowing a registered voter to go through the exhibition process outside the designated centre was an irregularity and a breach of the rules. Accordingly, the two Officers were replaced by the Ag. District Electoral Officer as soon as the issue was brought to the attention of the Commission.

The Commission wishes to advice political leaders to familiarize themselves with the electoral laws and regulations to enable them to insist on the right things being done at all times.

The Commission would like to further encourage members of the public to continue to support the electoral process by promptly bringing any irregularities to its attention for speedy resolution.

Thank you.

Signed:

AMADU SULLEY
Deputy Chairperson (Operations)