Cape Coast Assembly members fault EC over Ernest Arthur confirmation as MCE

Some 26 members of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly (CCMA) who allegedly returned the ‘gift’ of GH¢500 each to the retained mayor have accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of “manufacturing” their own results in Saturday’s confirmation elections.

The members, together with some Members of Parliament (MPs) and the Paramount Chief of Cape Coast, were allegedly prevented from observing the sorting out of ballot papers.

These Assembly members were said to have been given money as a gift and transportation during the second confirmation in order to vote and confirm the President’s nominee for Chief Executive, Ernest Arthur, but were hurled with insults and other alleged threats from some anonymous persons.

Mr. Arthur, who was renominated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had been rejected by the Assembly members twice despite the Central Regional Minister making a plea for a favourable result.

Finally, the Assembly members confirmed the President’s nominee amidst the confusion.

Mr. Arthur polled 45 ‘Yes’ votes while 18 people voted ‘No’ as 63 assembly members out of the 64 were present.

There was a heavy police presence at the Center for National Culture in Cape Coast where the voting took place.

Not even the presence of the Omanhen of Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, could stop the confusion.

Reacting to the development on 3FM’s Sunrise hosted by Alfred Ocansey on Monday, the Spokesperson for the Concerned Assembly Members, who returned the gift, Usman Abbam Egyin, explained that “we will expose the EC today because someone snatched the ballot papers and no one questioned the person”.

“This indoor election was worrisome and if this will be carried to the 2024 elections, it will be a worry to the nation.”

Mr. Abban Egyin wondered: “How can I vote and I can’t witness the sorting and counting and before we realized, the EC has manufactured their own results”.

“Before the voting, we agreed the MPs would be present. The Omanhene would also be present but we were denied all these privileges”.

He added: “The electoral officer did not show the ballot box to us. No one saw how he managed to come out with that figure”.

“The EC should be up and doing because before we realized, the EC had pronounced the election results”.

Allegations against police

Mr. Egyin also alleged that they used the police to intimidate the assembly members who wanted to observe the sorting and counting.

“How do the police guard the ballot? The police did not allow the executives to have a view and what baffles me is that someone came and snatched some of the papers away and no one was arrested”.

The Spokesperson explained that “it was those No…14 of them but they went ahead and gave Yes 45 and no 18 and I have never witnessed such indoor elections before”.

“The police did their job but we were not expecting this from them”.

Way forward after approval

When asked the way forward after the approval of Mr. Arthur as the MCE, Mr. Egyin said “what is next for us is that we have nothing personal against him”.

“We have been together and it’s about time the national cake should be shared equally so that Cape Coast will get its share.”