The collation centre at the Greater Accra Regional Office of the Electoral Commission (EC) was vandalized on Friday, January 17, 2025, by suspected individuals allegedly linked to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Eyewitnesses reported that over 40 individuals stormed the venue as officials and media personnel prepared for the collation of parliamentary election results for the Ablekuma North constituency. The intruders ordered everyone to vacate the premises before causing extensive damage to property, including louvre blades and doors.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but it has raised significant concerns about the safety of the collation process and the credibility of the electoral outcome. Authorities are yet to issue an official statement, and no arrests have been confirmed.
The collation process for Ablekuma North has faced multiple delays and controversies, with the latest disruption adding to the tension. On January 8, 2025, the Returning Officer, Vincent Obeng, resigned amidst disagreements over the authentication of pink sheets.
Prior to his resignation, Obeng revealed that results from four of the seven remaining polling stations had been finalised, leaving three stations unresolved due to disputes between the NDC and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). These stations have become the focal point of contention in the constituency, which comprises 281 polling stations, with 278 already verified.
The NDC, through its Ablekuma North Constituency Organiser, Musah Kalamu, has objected to the use of scanned pink sheets for verification and called for a rerun in 62 polling stations, of which 59 have been verified. Meanwhile, the NPP’s Director of Research and Elections, Evans Nimako, along with parliamentary candidate Nana Akua Owusu Afriye, has expressed confidence in the accuracy of the results, urging for a prompt resolution.
Ablekuma North remains the only constituency still grappling with disputes from the 2024 parliamentary elections. The contest between the NPP’s Nana Akua Owusu Afriye and the NDC’s Ewurabena Aubynn has heightened tensions, with both parties poised for the resumption of the collation process.