The Coalition Of Domestic Election Observers, CODEO, has restated that the chaos that characterised the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election last Thursday affected the polls.
Speaking at a news conference in Accra, the National Coordinator of CODEO, Albert Kofi Arhin said reports by CODEO officials indicated widespread intimidations on voters by persons and groups purported to be security apparatus.
The Coalition organised the Press Conference to make clarifications to the Electoral Commission’s misrepresentations in its Close-Of-Polls statement.
The National Coordinator of the Coalition, Albert Arhin, who made the clarifications on behalf of the Coalition said the Coalition’s Close-Of-Polls report Statement typically provides a snapshot of what transpired on the election day.
Clarifying some of the misrepresentations by the EC on the Coalition’s Close-Of-Polls Statement on the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election, Mr Arhin said the coalition was clear that CODEO observers witnessed the violent incidents, including the shootings which took place near the La Bawaleshie Polling Station which disrupted the electoral process.
Concerning security, CODEO said it made no attribution or linked the disruption of electoral process to the presence of stationed security officers.
CODEO stated that it’s main concern regarding security arrangements which were explicitly stated in its initial report, were the apparent lack of proper security coordination and the heavy and intimidating presence of security personnel at various polling stations.
CODEO, however, indicated that most observers reported a generally smooth voting exercise, including smooth performance of biometric devices.
It assured the Electoral Commission, election stakeholders and the general public that it remains unflinching in its commitment to impartiality, objectivity and electoral integrity.
