The Electoral Commission of Ghana has described as fake the notice of poll of the upcoming Kumawu bt-election circulating on social media.
A poll notice with two independent candidates wearing kente cloth and each bearing a bird symbol circulated on the internet.
This elicited a range of reactions from social media users, with many wondering how this could have happened.
However, the EC described the notice poll as a hoax in a statement.
According to the EC, a draft notice of poll, bearing the photograph of the independent candidates with similar names, attires and symbols was prepared and submitted to the Commission for approval from the district office.
It explained that the draft was neither approved by the Commission nor gazetted adding that the version circulating on social media was never gazetted.
“The attention of the Electoral Commission has been drawn to a Notice of Poll circulating on social media purporting to be that of the Kumawu By-Election. The Notice of Poll has the photos of two Independent Candidates, wearing kente cloth. The said Candidates have the symbol of a bird”.
“For the information of the Public, both Independent Candidates presented photographs of themselves in kente and a picture of a bird as their symbol to our District Officer in Kumawu. Based on this, a draft Notice of Poll, bearing the photograph of the Independent Candidates with similar names, attires and symbols was prepared and submitted to the Commission for approval”.
The EC said it applied the Public Elections Regulations and assigned the second independent candidate a hoe as his symbol after he refused to heed advice to change his symbol.
“When this anomaly came to the notice of the Commission, the second Independent Candidate was advised to change his symbol since he was the last to submit his Nomination Form. He refused to do so causing the Commission to apply Regulation 14(1) (b) and (c) of the Public Elections Regulations, 2020, C.I. 127 which states as follows: The Commission has assigned him the symbol of a hoe which is reflected in the Notice of Poll posted throughout Kumawu,” EC clarified in its statement.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
