The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has strongly rebuked the Electoral Commission (EC) for its apparent complacency in failing to declare the results of nine remaining parliamentary constituencies following the 2024 general elections.
His remarks came during a parliamentary briefing by the Deputy Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Bossman Asare, who provided explanations for the delay and responded to questions from Members of Parliament (MPs).
The session began with Dr. Bossman Asare outlining the challenges faced by the EC in finalizing the outstanding parliamentary results. MPs seized the opportunity to question the Deputy Commissioner on procedural and legal matters related to the declaration process.
When it was his turn to speak, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu posed a series of pointed questions to Dr. Bossman Asare, focusing on the legal framework governing election result declarations.
“Mr. Electoral Commissioner, are you aware that the declaration of results is governed by law?” Iddrisu asked.
Dr. Asare promptly replied, “Yes, yes please.”
Continuing, the Minister queried, “Are you aware that the law specifies where results should be declared?”
Again, Dr. Asare responded affirmatively, “Yes, please.”
Iddrisu’s third question was more direct: “Is the police station the designated place for declaring results according to the law and the constitutional instruments guiding your conduct of elections, whether presidential or parliamentary?”
The Deputy Commissioner’s response was less definitive: “At times, circumstances allowed that.”
Following the exchange, Minister Iddrisu expressed his deep concern over the EC’s handling of the situation.
He reminded the House that Parliament is the guardian of human rights, fundamental freedoms, and independent constitutional bodies, emphasizing the seriousness of the delayed declarations.
“Mr. Speaker, let us not take these matters lightly,” Iddrisu warned.
He explained further “If you have 276 constituencies in the Republic, and you declare results with nine still outstanding, yet you have the comfort to sleep and wait for one or two weeks or more before declaring the rest, do you know what will happen to our democracy? Do you know what will happen if we experience something akin to 2020? You declare results, but up to nine constituencies remain undeclared.”
He underscored the potential consequences of such delays, noting the impact on the balance of power in Parliament and the wider political stability of the country.
“Regardless, I am not interested in who won those seats. But you have an independent Electoral Commission, and you are to declare the results. And, Mr. Speaker, those results have implications and consequences on the balance of power both in the executive and parliamentary branches,” Haruna Iddrisu said.
He added “Imagine what would have happened to the country if we were not well behaved, knowing that a certain portion of the population has no elected representative in Parliament. That is unacceptable.”
The Minister went on to question the integrity of the EC, stating, “they have to wait more than 30 days, 20 days, for the electoral commission to do that. Mr. Speaker, it’s about their integrity. For me, that’s even shameful that today you(EC) are coming because Parliament has summoned you? What’s the state of integrity of the commission? That you conduct an election and you want to hold on until Parliament prepares you.”
Source : www.kumasimail.com /Kwadwo Owusu
