Mr. Fred Agbenyo, the Member of Parliament for the Guan Constituency in the Oti Region, has asserted that under Ghanaian law, the Electoral Commission (EC) does not have the authority to declare the winner or loser of an election once the results are officially announced.
Speaking during a panel discussion on TV3’s New Day, Agbenyo condemned the lack of integrity in the country’s political process, which he believes undermines the foundations of democracy.
Agbenyo particularly criticized the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for organizing a press conference to dispute results in constituencies where they lost parliamentary seats, calling it hypocritical. “Would the NPP hold a press conference to demand that the EC act illegally if they were in our position now?” he questioned.
He also cited Article 99 of the Constitution, pointing out that electoral disputes at the constituency level are within the jurisdiction of the courts, not the EC. “Which institution in this country is mandated to determine the outcome of an election after collation is complete and a winner has been declared?” Agbenyo asked, urging the NPP to pursue legal action rather than challenge the results publicly.
“At this stage, even the Electoral Commission, under the law, has no right to determine who has won or lost an election once the results have been declared,” he added. Agbenyo’s comments come amidst ongoing debates surrounding the parliamentary results of the recent elections, reinforcing the importance of following constitutional procedures in resolving election disputes.
